The Goddess of Beauty
by The Heart of Stone
Summary: There were only two rules: She must never leave and expect to come back, and she must never look upon his face while he is sleeping. It seemed like a small price to pay for the life of a goddess. (A Miraculous Ladybug AU based on the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche)
1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time in a land far away there lived a king and queen. They were blessed with a lovely kingdom, adoring subjects, and three very beautiful daughters.

The eldest daughter was named Chloe. She had been loved and adored by her subjects since she was small, and she grew up spoiled because of it. She craved the attention that the adoring crowds gave her. When company came to call, she cared only for the gifts and compliments they would bring. And as time passed on, she grew more beautiful and more cruel.

The second daughter was named Lila. Much like Chloe, she was raised to be selfish and arrogant. She would often use her social standing to get the things she wanted, even if she had to stretch the truth. She regularly grew bored and would wander through the palace, convincing the servants that all sorts of falsehoods were true, and none were ever the wiser.

However, when the princess Chloe was eight years of age and Lila was six, their mother became pregnant. The entire kingdom rejoiced. They hoped that this third child would grow to be just as beautiful as their beloved princesses Chloe and Lila. For several days and nights after the pregnancy had been announced, the kingdom threw lavish festivals and danced endlessly.

However, there were two who refused to dance with the others. The princesses feared that a third child would mean that people would pay them less attention. And as the festivals went on, the girls only grew to detest their future sibling more and more.

One night, after the kingdom had danced itself to sleep, Chloe and Lila snuck away to the nearby temple of Gabriel, the god of perfection. They knelt before the statue and prayed that their younger sibling would be a vile, deformed creature that could never be loved by anyone. Chloe offered up her finest silks to the god, and Lila gave her favorite necklace. Both desperately prayed for their cruel wish to come true.

Despite the girls' desperate prayers, when the baby did come, they were greatly dismayed. Not only was the child another daughter, but she was actually more beautiful than they had ever been. From the day of her birth, the child seemed to radiate a warmth and kindness. She became the light of the kingdom, adored by all. The king and queen named her Marinette, and she quickly became the kingdom's preferred princess.

By the time Marinette was eighteen, she was quite the sight to behold. She had deep, ocean-blue eyes that swam with warmth and kindness. Her skin was pale as snow and without flaw. Her hair was a perfect blue-black shade that reflected all the rays of light that attempted to touch it. She was so beautiful in fact, that the people of her kingdom stopped worshiping at the temple of Gabriel, for their princess Marinette was surely perfection incarnate.

While all the townspeople loved and adored her from afar, none dared to approach their new goddess. Marinette grew up admired by all, but forever without a friend. Whenever she attempted to speak to anyone, they would shower her with compliments and beg to give her whatever they could offer. None ever offered true conversation. Marinette grew up alone, without even a single person to truly talk to.

The only real joys Marinette found in her life were her solitude and her sewing. As a princess, she had been raised and taught in many different subjects that were considered proper for her, but the only one she truly loved was sewing. She spent many days alone in her bedroom, sketching and sewing new garments that she had designed herself. These were the only times that Marinette could forget her endless streams of admirers and find true freedom. These were the only times the beautiful princess was allowed to be Marinette.

Chloe and Lila hated Marinette with every fiber of their being. Chloe hated that all the townsfolk treated her sister as a goddess, but most of all she hated all the attention Marinette's beauty stole. She was forced to stand by Marinette's side, hidden by the immense shadow her younger sister cast.

Lila hated that people seemed to never pay attention to the stories she told anymore. The servants were all to preoccupied trying to serve Marinette, and the townspeople only seemed to want to hear tales of Marinette's greatness. She was never able to say a word to anyone if it was not about her younger sister.

Despite their hatred, however, Chloe and Lila did her best to act kind to Marinette's face. Chloe offered her sister help and advice for hairstyles and clothes. Lila told her beautiful lies about the town and its people. Despite their kind facades, they only wanted to take advantage of the gifts and services offered by Marinette's fans. They did not care for Marinette's feelings. They always treated Marinette with kindness during the day, but at night they would drift off into sleep by muttering curses against their dear sister.

Eventually, the god Gabriel took notice of the absense of any offerings in the recent day he decided to disguise himself and investigate the matter. He donned his best silk cloak, covered his face, and entered his abandoned temple.

Once inside, he saw that there was only two girls providing any offerings. The god approached the girls and asked why the temple was so abandoned.

The girls explained about the popularity the mortal princess had gathered, and how the people of the kingdom all worshiped Marinette as their new goddess. When Gabriel asked the girls why they still worshiped, the girls stated that they had prayed for years for Marinette to wake one day as a vile beast, so that the townspeople would stop worshiping the princess. Gabriel smiled to himself, and told the girls at the altar that there would soon be no reason for concern. Soon, the princess Marinette would get what she deserved.

Soon after, adoring crowds stopped coming to the castle to catch a glimpse of their beloved princess. Marinette was actually happy for the peace and quiet, but her parents were much less joyful. They had already found trouble in marrying their first daughter off, as no one seemed to remember that there were elder princesses. The king and queen had been relying on Marinette's numerous admirers to one day offer a worthy suitor for their daughter, so that the royal bloodline may continue.

But as less and less people gathered around the palace, the king and queen grew more and more nervous. They feared that an heir would never be produced, and so one day the king decided to travel to visit the oracle.

The king traveled three long days and three long nights, but eventually he reached the land of Delphi, where the oracle of the sun god resided.

The king immediately requested an audience with the oracle, and when he finally looked upon her he was surprised to see a thin, weak women dressed in fine silks and crowned with laurels. He asked the oracle why Marinette had stopped receiving suitors, and the oracle closed her eyes.

After a moment's silence, the oracle violently threw open her eyelids, revealing the dark green shade her eyes had become. A thick green mist started to leak out of the woman's mouth, as a man's voice began to speak.

Your daughter has begun to lose suitors because she is already betrothed to another. She is to wed a beast of destruction, feared even by the gods themselves. Let her dress for her wedding as she would for a funeral, and lead her to the peak of the highest mountain near your kingdom. It is there she will meet her new husband.

The oracle suddenly snapped back to normal, and was surprised to see the strong and powerful king reduced to tears before her eyes.

When the king returned home and shared the news with his wife, they both began to grieve. How could a fate so terrible befall their daughter, who had never once in her life hurt anyone?

The two monarchs wanted to keep the news from their daughter and never fulfill the prophecy, but, unknown to them, Lila had overheard. She put on her best sad face and forced tears out of her eyelids, and went to Marinette's room.

When Marinette opened the door and saw her sister crying, she immediately began to comfort her. She asked what was wrong, and although at first Lila denied her the truth, she was easily coaxed into revealing the terrible prophecy, adding her own small piece to the story: Marinette was fated to marry a monster, otherwise that monster would wreak havoc on the city.

Marinette immediately fell to the bed, sobbing. Lila soon left the room, only to be replaced by Chloe moments later. Marinette told her oldest sister the news and begged for her help to escape the palace. Marinette knew that her parents would never allow her to go to the mountain, so she decided to go on her own. She could never allow for her city to be ravaged by a monster, and she did not care if she would have to die. To Marinette, death seemed a merciful fate when compared with the one she had been given.

Although Chloe shed false tears, she dressed Marinette in the finest black gown in the palace and picked a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the garden.

Marinette wrote her final goodbyes to her parents in a lengthy letter, which she placed on her bed. She then put on a veil in order to hide her identity, and Chloe helped her sneak out of the palace.


	2. Chapter 2

Though the trek was long and arduous, Marinette eventually reached the peak of the tallest mountain near her city. She looked back at her home one last time, tears threatening to break loose at the thought of the family she was forced to leave. She then turned from the sight as dawn broke, knowing that she could not bear to look back any longer.

She sat at the top of the mountain, and said one final prayer to the gods. She asked them to look after her family and her kingdom in her absence, wishing everyone the utmost happiness. She then walked over to the side of the mountain, looking at the valleys below her. She smiled, for what she felt would be the last time, as the valleys and hills below her began to bathe in the sun's warm glow.

She then closed her eyes, waiting for the monster to arrive and devour her. However, though she waited and waited, she never felt the sharp teeth and claws of a ravenous beast. She had been waiting for an incredibly long time, but there was no pain. However, the wind had seemed to pick up, wrapping it's cold arms around her. She hesitantly opened her eyes, and found herself startled by what she saw.

She was flying. Although she felt as though she was falling, there was no other way to describe what she was seeing. The ground below her moved so quickly she couldn't make sense of much, but she could see the vague outlines of mountains and valleys pass by as she floated high above.

A rush of panic swept through her, followed by unrelenting waves of other emotions. Fear, joy, confusion, wonder… all these things seemed to beat their way into Marinette, mixing together until she could no longer make sense of them.

Eventually the ride came to an end, and Marinette was slowly placed at the bottom of a hill in a large, sprawling green valley. She quickly made her way up the hill in front of her, and when she reached the summit, her breath escaped her.

There was the grandest, most beautiful palace that Marinette had ever seen standing just before her eyes. There were lush gardens speckled in every color of the rainbow and glistening fountains spouting the clearest water. Cutting through the gardens was long marble pathway, which began its climb at the mouth of a golden gate embedded with hundreds of glimmering gems. The pathway lead to the pure white steps of the massive palace, which seemed to be in absolutely perfect condition. There was not a single flaw to be seen anywhere.

Marinette wandered through the gardens, the smell of a thousand different flowers wafting towards her as the leaves of several laurel trees danced around her. She walked over to a nearby fountain, noting that it was composed entirely of crystal. When she touched the cool water, it seemed to wash away some of her worries, setting her mind at ease. She smiled and flew towards the palace, her curiosity and fascination getting the best of her.

If at all possible, the interior of the palace was even more beautiful than the outer grounds. Everywhere she looked, Marinette could see thousands of intricate details carved into the furnishings, as well as the gold and silver designs that patterned every wall. The ceiling was incredibly high, and at the top a stained glass window made soft rays of all different colors dance across the room.

She slowly walked in, trying to drink in every detail, when suddenly a voice came from behind her. "Welcome, princess, to your new home."

Marinette whipped around, looking for the person who had spoken. "W-who's there?" She stuttered, seeing no one.

"We are your servants, princess." The voice said again. Marinette continued to search for the source of the voice, but could see nothing.

Marinette frantically searched the room, but could see no one. "Why can't I see you?" She asked, terror creeping back into her voice.

"We're up here!" The voice said. Marinette looked up to see seven small creatures floating above her head. "I'm so sorry if I startled you! We are your servants. We are here to offer you anything you may ever desire."

Marinette's eyes widened at the sight of the small creatures floating above her head. "What are you?" She asked, fear growing inside of her.

The little red and black creature, who had been the one to speak before, again spoke up. "We are kwami. Small guardian spirits that often assist more powerful spirits and beings." She said, her sweet and tiny voice giving Marinette a little comfort.

Marinette became slightly less afraid. "And how did you get here? Why am I here? What's going on?"

"I promise you miss, all your questions will be answered tonight when the master gets home."

Marinette's fear started returning. "The master? Is he the one who…" Marinette gulped as she thought back to what her sister had told her. "Is he the one who was mentioned in the prophecy? My new husband?"

"He will only be your husband if you will allow it." The kwami said simply. "Now please miss, is there anything that you desire? Whatever you want, we will bring you."

Marinette had a hundred more questions pounding through her mind, but she knew the servant had said all she was going to say. "I wouldn't mind something to eat, and maybe a nice warm bath…" Marinette said, finally realising how the hike up the mountain had tired her.

"Right away, miss. Just follow me." The little kwami said, leading Marinette down one of many long hallways.

A few hours later, Marinette had been cleaned up and filled with as much food as she could ever possibly want. The delectable and decadent delicacies she had grown up with were slop when compared to the dishes she had been served. She had gotten to try so many amazing new dishes, each more heavenly than the last, until finally her stomach had threatened to burst. She had then been led to an enormous bath that had been drawn with the sweetest smelling soaps and bubbles. She could have stayed in the bath for hours, but soon enough the little servant spirits lead her to her new room and clothed her in dresses much finer than any Marinette had ever previously laid her eyes on.

The servants then guided her to a bedroom, filled with everything she could possibly need. There was a bookshelf with several books on subjects she found fascinating. There was a desk in another corner that was covered in sketchbooks, drawing materials, and sewing supplies, all of the highest quality. There was also a small vanity off to one side of the room, but all it had on it was a single brush and a box of fine jewels. Compared to the rest of the room, it was actually quite meager.

Marinette immediately went to the desk and brought out a sketchbook, surprised to see it was actually one of the ones she had left at home. She smiled to herself and decided not to question it, as the rest of the palace seemed so... _miraculous_ that this nearly seemed normal. She brought out a pen and began sketching new designs in the book, inspired by all the wondrous things she had seen in the palace.


	3. Chapter 3

Hours flew by, Marinette simply sketching away in her notebook. Eventually, as the sun was beginning to set, the invisible servants came to Marinette's room, calling her to dinner.

After another amazing meal, Marinette returned to her room to find an outfit had been laid out for her: A silver tiara decorated with three large rubies, a necklace of diamonds, and a red dress tied with a black silk sash. The servants dressed her, and afterwards they brushed her beautiful black hair, styling it in a simplistic updo that perfectly framed her face. They then told her to wait, for the master of the house would soon return home to meet her.

Marinette's nerves grew with every second she waited. Would the master the servants spoke of be a cruel and brutal monster, just as the prophecy had foretold? Or would he be as kind and generous as the palace hinted he would be?

However, just as she was about to believe he wouldn't come at all, she heard the door to her room slowly creak open.

Marinette immediately stood, her heart starting to beat out of her chest, as she watched the door with intense curiosity. She saw first that the hand grasping the door was gloved all in black, and that there did appear to be claws where the fingernails should be. However, as the being revealed more of himself, he seemed more and more human.

He was clad entirely in black, his clothes covering every inch of his body. His hair was golden like the sun, and his eyes as green as the leaves of a laurel. However, these were the only features Marinette could make out about the man, as the rest of his face was obscured by a mask. There were also strange looking ears shooting out of his golden hair, as though the man was part cat.

Marinette took a deep breath and spoke. "Are you the master of this house?" She stuttered out, fear in her voice.

The man looked her dead in the eye, his gaze much more nervous and compassionate than Marinette had ever expected. He gave a slight nod and gulped. "Yes." He reached out for her hand, and when she reluctantly gave it to him, he leaned and gave it a small kiss.

Marinette was taken aback by how nervous the man in front of her seemed to be. How could a beast that was even feared by the gods be so scared to talk to a simple mortal? Marinette looked at him again, and suddenly her nerves started to fade away. "Can I ask for your name then? I mean, if you are to be my husband, I have a right to know, do I not?"

The man again gulped. "You can just call me Chat Noir, princess. And I'm only to be your husband if you so wish it."

Marinette was surprised. He was offering her the choice? She had always been told that all girls are eventually married off to the best suitor, but now the man in front of her seemed completely disregard this tradition.

Suddenly, all thoughts of beasts and monsters feared by the gods began to melt from Marinette's mind. She looked at her new suitor, noticing the kind light shimmering in his emerald eyes. She noted that, while his appearance _was_ strange, he still seemed to be rather handsome. He also seemed a little nervous, which made her smile a bit to herself.

Despite the doubt that had begun to sprout up in her mind, Marinette knew she still could not trust the man entirely. "So you're actually letting me decide if I want to marry you?"

Chat Noir nodded. "Of course. I would never want to force you to do something you didn't want to do."

Marinette smiled slightly. She had never been treated like her opinion mattered before. The only time people would ask for her opinion, it was mearly to ensure that their offerings were deemed acceptable by their 'goddess.'

"I'm sure that there are a million questions you want to ask, my princess. This is a strange situation I've dragged you into, and I'm sorry for not explaining myself until now. Feel free to ask me whatever it is you want."

Marinette thought for a moment. "Can I ask where exactly I am?"

Chat Noir smiled. "You are in a palace I had specially built for you."

"This was all built for me?" Marinette asked, stunned. Why would someone go to such trouble for her?

"Of course. I wanted to make you feel comfortable, and you deserve only the best." The blonde smiled at Marinette's shocked expression, clearly proud of what he had created. "I hope that everything suits you."

Marinette nodded. Now that she thought about it, it did seem like everything there was a perfect fit for her. The servants had prepared her foods perfectly tailored to her tastes. The dresses and jewelry were all in warm, happy colors, and were all in styles she liked. Then there was the desk with all the sewing materials, and the bookshelf was filled with books that she had an interest in.

"Everything is…" Marinette said, starting to get a little freaked out again. "Perfect. How did you know what I would like?"

The man in front of her started to scratch his cheek uncomfortably. "Well, please don't take this the wrong way but I've…" He gulped. "I've kind of been following you around for the past few weeks. I just…" He sighed. "I wanted to talk to you, but I haven't been able to get near you. So I had you brought to this palace I made. It was the only way that I could..." He trailed off, his cheeks beginning to redden.

Marinette leaned a little closer, cocking an eyebrow. "The only way you could what?"

Chat Noir gulped, then stood up straight, took a deep breath, and looked Marinette in the eye. "This was the only way I could tell you how I feel about you." He said, practically shaking as he confessed.

Marinette took a slight step back, her eyes widening. "And how do you feel about me?"

He took another deep breath. "Marinette, I…" He stepped forward and took her hand in his. "I love you. I've been in love with you since the day I first saw you. I didn't know how to approach you, what with your adoring fans surrounding you constantly and my own family issues, but I knew I had to show you somehow. So I had this palace made. I got the best servants I could to treat you night and day. I made sure everything would be to your liking. And then when I saw you on top of that cliff today, I immediately got my friend Nino, the god of the west wind, to carry you here. It was earlier than I expected, but I couldn't let you get sick and die up there on that mountain, not at least without letting you know what I feel." There was a fire dancing in his warm green eyes as he said this, and as soon as he began his face did not waver.

Marinette knew he was telling the truth. The man in front of her did seem to be in love, and he had done so much for her…

However, there was still one burning question Marinette had. "But why me?"

Chat Noir gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean, princess?" He asked, his passion turning to slight concern upon hearing the tone in her voice.

"Why did you choose me? Why did you bring _me_ here?" The girl stared him in the eye, being afraid of the answer he might give.

Her whole life she had been treated as nothing more than a pretty face. Even her two sisters, who tried to act kindly towards her, only seemed to care about the way she looked. Her parents had practically worshiped her, and the rest of her subjects actually did worship her. She knew that people only valued her because of her beauty, but somewhere in her heart she thought that maybe, just maybe, this person might be different.

"Why, out of all the girls in the world, did you choose me? Was it just because I'm the most beautiful, like everyone else? Did you choose me because I 'have the face of a goddess?'" The mere thought of this started to bring tears to Marinette's eyes. Of course he chose her because of her looks. Why would she ever think otherwise? That's all she was good for. She was just a pretty face. Why else would anyone ever love her?

The tears were threatening to spill out over her eyelids, when suddenly she felt two strong and gentle arms wrap themselves around her.

"Don't you ever think that." He ordered, also sounding like he was on the brink of tears. "I love you, Marinette, because even though everyone else tells you how beautiful you are and how perfect you are constantly, you've never once cared about the way you look. You never let it go to your head. Despite the way others treat you, you try to act kindly to others, and you _never_ take advantage of them. I didn't fall in love with you when I saw your face, I fell in love with you when I saw your beauty."

Cool streams fell down Marinette's face as she listened to Chat Noir's heartfelt confession. No one had ever cared about Marinette before, not really. They cared about her looks, something that Marinette had little control over. Yet suddenly, there was someone in her life who actually took a minute to look beyond her appearance. Someone she had never even spoken to had seen who she really was, and had fallen in love with her.

After a minute of stunned silence she lifted up her arms and returned the embrace her new suitor had wrapped her in.

"Thank you, Chaton."


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for Marinette to grow accustomed to her new palace. Her new home seemed to provide the most carefree and amazing lifestyle any person could ever desire. No matter what it is she wanted, all Marinette had to do was ask and it was brought to her. She was allowed to do anything she pleased, wander anywhere she wished, and enjoy whatever she found in the palace that intrigued her.

There were only two rules that Chat Noir had given her: She could never leave and expect to come back, and she could never look upon his face while he was sleeping.

To Marinette, this was simple. She had lived her life with many more pointless rules to adhere to. She had lived a virtual shut in all her life, with absolutely no one to ever really speak too. In her new life, her servants would listen to her if she needed them to, and Chat Noir was always up for conversation.

Besides, he rarely stayed the night at the palace. For the first few weeks of her stay he would always leave well before dawn's soft light broke into the day. As time went on he seemed to be more comfortable staying in the bedroom across the hall from hers, but as he was always gone by the time Marinette awoke.

Chat was truly the perfect gentleman. He asked her questions, but respected when she didn't want to give answers. He always put her needs before his own, even when Marinette could tell he really wanted to do otherwise. He had never forced himself upon her, despite the longing Marinette could always see in his eyes.

Marinette wanted to give Chat the same chance he had given her. She wanted to fall in love with who he was, and so she spoke to him often, and spent her time with him whenever he came to call. Although at first he always seemed somewhat nervous to be around her, as time went on the cat seemed to open up and reveal his true nature.

* * *

"How is it that you came to fall in love with me?" Marinette asked her suitor the question that had long plagued her one day, as they strolled beneath the laurel trees.

The black cat smiled. "I heard tales of your beauty, and was sent to see if they were true. Of course they were…" He smiled at the girl, "but no one ever told me that you hated all the attention your appearance brought you."

"But how did you know I hated it?"

"Because no matter how widely you smiled, your eyes were always detached. Your gaze always fell far away, and only once the suitors had left did the light return."

Marinette once again looked at her suitors face. Although his face was hidden, she did see the sincerity in his eyes, and was once again impressed by his keen eye. "So how is it that you could see what no one else ever could?"

The blonde looked at her, a mischievous spark glinting in his eyes. "Well my lady, when it comes to matters of the heart, you'll find I'm very purr-ceptive."

Although a slight smile escaped Marinette's lips, she rolled her eyes. "Oh Chaton, must you always use such terrible puns?"

A proud smile worked its way onto Chat's face at the sight. "Of course, my purr-incess."

Marinette just rolled her eyes and quickened her pace, trying to suppress the smile on her face.

* * *

Another day, Marinette was sitting by the fountain, reading one of the many interesting books she had found in the library. However, she was soon interrupted from her leisure by a sudden strong gust of wind. The leaves flew off the trees and encircled her suddenly, hurling the pages of her book forward.

She decided to retreat back indoors in order to seek refuge from the harsh winds, but before she could even exit the garden the wind suddenly halted. Marinette looked around, puzzled, only to see a dark-skinned man in blue sitting on one of the sparkling marble benches nearby.

"Hey. You must be the princess Marinette." He offered a casual wave in greeting.

Marinette looked confused upon seeing the visitor. "And hello to you, sir." She bowed her head slightly in greeting, which made the man give a slight chuckle. Marinette ignored the man's odd behavior however. "If you don't mind my asking, who are you?" She inquired, trying to keep in mind the manners she had been taught.

The man smiled. "The name's Nino. I'm a friend of your husband's." He got up and walked over to Marinette and offered a hand. "I'm sorry to just suddenly turn up like this. I just had to meet you. I had to know what kind of woman he was so hung up over."

Marinette was stunned. She had heard of Nino, god of the west wind. She had never expected him to show up to visit her. She took the man's hand and shook it politely, but she couldn't think of a thing to say.

The man gave another slight chuckle. "Well you're definitely pretty enough to attract his attention. But from the way he goes on about you, that's not why he chose you."

Marinette stuttered out a quick "thank you," but still found that she was unable to think of anything to say to the god in front of her.

The god hardly seemed to notice the girl's odd behavior. He just smiled at her, a kind light in his chocolate brown eyes. "So how often does he come here?"

It took a moment for Marinette to comprehend the question, and a moment more to think of an answer, but eventually she was able to muster enough composure to answer the question. "He comes almost everyday. Usually at night."

He nodded. "Seems about right." He smiled. "So what exactly is it that the two of you do?"

Marinette shrugged. "It all depends on the day. Sometimes we eat dinner together. Other times we stroll through the garden. We do talk quite a lot." Marinette smiled, remembering all the discussions she had had with her mysterious suitor. "But he always insists on using these terrible puns…"

Nino laughed. "Oh he's always been a fan of those. If you talk to him often enough, you'll have to learn to tolerate puns. And just bad jokes in general _."_

Marinette smiled. "I've started to learn that." Suddenly, Marinette's mind wandered back to the one question she had never had the courage to ask Chat. "Nino, may I ask you a question?"

Nino nodded. "Sure."

"There's something I've been wondering… It's been bothering me for a while, but I…"

"You can ask me anything. If it's about him, I'm the most likely to know the answer."

Marinette took a deep breath. "Well, before I first came here, my father heard a prophecy that I should go to the top of a mountain to meet my husband, but the prophecy also said... " Marinette took a deep breath, afraid to say the actual words. "It said my new husband would be a monster."

A moment of awkward silence passed between them, and Marinette immediately began to regret her words. She was about to attempt retracting her statement when suddenly she heard a laugh start to grow from beside her.

She looked over to Nino, who seemed to be caught in a fit of laughter. Marinette raised her eyebrow, confused as to what the god had found so amusing.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't believe my question was that funny." Marinette stated, thirsting for answers. How could someone find accusing their best friend of being a monster funny?

Nino took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop laughing. "Oh, I'm sorry if I startled you." Although the roars laughter had died down, Nino's smile had only grown. "It's just that I wasn't expecting that." Marinette tilted her head slightly in confusion. Nino cleared his throat. "Let me explain. You see, a long time ago, your husband had a slight… _run in_ with Nathaneal, the god of the sun and art. I don't know all the details, but I know it involves Nathanael's old girlfriend turning into a tree." Marinette's eyes widened. "But ever since then Nathanael has hated him with a passion. And since your dad went to see the oracle, who is a priestess of Nathanael…" Nino laughed. "I just didn't expect his hate to sneak his way into a prophecy. That's all."

Marinette wasn't too comforted by this new information. "My husband turned someone into a tree?"

Nino shook his head. "Oh no. He just did something that lead to someone getting turned into a tree. I know that wasn't his intention, but Nathanael still blames him for it. Sorry, I don't know all the details."

Marinette breathed a slight sigh of relief, but she still wasn't entirely sure what to think of this revelation. Her husband had both a godly friend and a godly enemy. What exactly was she to think?

Eventually, after another moment of silent thought, Nino again spoke up. "Hey, don't tell him I told you any of this, alright? In fact, don't even mention that I came."

Marinette gave the god a strange look. "Why?"

Nino started to rub the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, I know who he is and why he keeps this place a secret from most people and everything…" he sighed. "He told me that coming here could compromise everything so I promised I wouldn't, but…" He smirked mischievously. "I just couldn't resist."

Marinette nodded, forcing a slight smile. "Well, I'll promise not to tell him…"

Nino smiled. "Thank's I really appreciate-"

"But only if you can tell me one more thing."

Nino looked taken aback by the meek girl's sudden interruption, but he nodded. "Yeah. What is it?"

Marinette smiled. "I don't feel like I know my husband well enough. What's he like normally?"

"Oh, that's all." Nino sighed in relief. "That's easy. He's a good guy."

"Really?" Marinette said, still thinking about the tree incident. "How so?"

Nino looked up at the sky, as though looking for the right words. "Well, he's always kind to people, although few actually talk to him."

"And why is that?"

"Well, he's sort of… _misunderstood,_ in a way. Due to certain... _factors_ ," Nino gritted his teeth. "people tend to be afraid of him. So he spends most of his time alone, although I know he hates it." Nino paused for a moment, as a hint of sadness flashed in his deep brown eyes. Marinette looked down at the ground. "His temper doesn't help either. Sometimes he makes some stupid decisions out of anger, which seem to justify people's fears. But he really isn't a bad guy. He tries to do the right thing, but one or two slip ups and suddenly everyone's your enemy." Nino sighed.

They sat there in silence for a while, thinking. Marinette was a little surprised. Chat was lonely? Out of all the words she would use to describe her suitor, that was one that had never crossed her mind. She knew how it felt, after all. But to only have one friend? At least Marinette had parents and sisters, but from the way Nino spoke…

 _What would it be like to have no family?_

The more she thought, the more sense it made. The way he was so awkward the first time he had met her. How he never spoke of his life outside. How he always seemed sad when she brought up the kindness of her parents… He was alone. Just as she had been.

The more Marinette thought about it, the more she realised that he was more like her than he seemed. He just wanted someone who understood what he was going through. He wanted someone to like him for who he was, and not judge him based on their preconceived notions.

A small smile worked its way onto Marinettes lips the more she though of her strange suitor. Before, she hadn't been ready to make any decisions. She didn't honestly believe she'd known Chat well enough, but Nino's words made her begin to realise...

"Well, I've probably already told you more than he'd want me to, so I should just leave before I slip up and say something stupid." He smiled, his sad, contemplative look all but disappearing.

He stood up, and Marinette put her hand out to him. "Well thank you for coming, Nino. It was good to meet you." She said, her politeness once again getting the best of her.

Nino smiled as he took her hand. "You too, princess." he gave her hand a firm before turning to leave. But after a moment's hesitation, he turned back to her. "Oh, just one more thing before I go."

"Yes?"

"Just… look after him. I think he needs someone like you." Before Marinette could ask him any more, there was a sudden gust of wind, and Nino was gone.

* * *

That night, when Chat showed up, he could tell Marinette was acting slightly different.

At first it was at dinner. When Chat made a bad pun about the salad, she didn't chide him. In fact, she seemed to even crack a small smile, without having to fight it.

Then, on their nightly walk through the garden, she didn't seem to care about his incessant flirting. She made one or two witty remarks back, but she never once rolled her eyes or shook her head. In fact, if Chat hadn't known better, he might have thought she was flirting back.

However, it wasn't until he was getting ready to leave for the night that something really out of the ordinary happened.

He was just preparing to offer his princess a kiss goodnight, something she had always rejected, but before he could he heard her sweet voice softly say something.

"Did you say something, princess?" He asked, turning towards the girl.

As he looked at her, he immediately knew something was off. Her cheeks seemed oddly pink, and her hands were tightly clenched in front of her.

He walked over to her. "Princess, are you feeling alright? You seem a bit red."

She nodded. "I'm fine, Chaton." She whispered, voice shaking a bit.

Chat gave her a concerned glance. "Are you sure?" He put his hand on her forehead. "You're feeling a little warm. I think you might want to lie down."

After a moment, Marinette shook her head. "I'm not sick, Chat."

"Are you sure? You feel alright? You don't have a sore throat or an upset stomach or…" He thought for a moment, trying hard to think of other symptoms.

She sighed. "I'm fine, Chat." She looked up at him, forcing herself to smile. "Remember the first day I came here?" She asked suddenly.

Chat looked confused, but he nodded anyway.

"Remember when you told me that I could choose if I wanted to marry you?"

Chat nodded again, not sure as to where his princess was going.

"Well, I think I've finally made a decision."

Chat's jaw dropped.

Marinette looked into his eyes, and Chat felt his cheeks go pink. "I've lived here for more than two months now, and you've been nothing but kind to me. You've given me whatever I asked for, never questioning anything. And for that I'm grateful." She smiled, and Chat's heart begin to melt. "But I was never really sure of who you were, and why you wanted me to be here." Chat could feel his nerves clench tighter with every word she said. "But I know you're a good person. And I know you want me to be happy." Her smile grew wider. "And I think I've finally realised…" She looked down to the ground for a second, her cheeks reddening. "I think I want you to be happy too."

Chat was speechless. He looked at the girl in front of him, his heart pounding louder and louder.

After a moment's silence, Marinette took a deep breath. "So that's when I realised…" She looked up at him, warmth and joy radiating from her expression. "I'd love to be your wife, Chaton."


	5. Chapter 5

Due to Chat's insistence on privacy, there could be no official ceremony. Although that didn't matter to either of them. As far as they were concerned, they were husband and wife, and neither needed a formal wedding to affirm that.

The two lived happily together for many months, and each day followed the same routine. As soon as the sun went down Chat would appear. The two would spend a few hours in each other's company, until both grew tired. They would then go to sleep, and Chat was always gone by the time Marinette had woken up the next morning.

Marinette was happy with her new life. She had a perfect husband, an amazing palace, and anything she could ever ask for.

However, as humans so often do, she began to long for more.

A year after her marriage, Marinette began to grow lonely. At first it was only a bit of homesickness, but as the days went by, Marinette found herself longing for the company of someone besides her husband. Even the tiny servants could not satisfy her need for companionship.

Try as she might, Marinette could new get rid of the longing she felt to speak to someone else. And eventually, she realized she didn't want to see just anyone. She was missing her sisters.

Although her sisters had never liked her, they always treated Marinette kindly. They forced themselves to smile and act nice around their sister, knowing that if they did otherwise the servants and their parents would turn against them. So, in Marinette's eyes, they were the closest thing to friends that she had.

One night, Marinette could take the pain no longer.

"You want to what?" Chat asked her that night when she told him about her desire.

Marinette sighed. "I know that you don't want anyone to know about us but…" Marinette looked up at the stars above them. "I really miss them."

Chat grimaced. Unlike his wife, Chat knew of Chloe and Lila's true nature. He knew about their jealousy, and he knew about their hatred. However, he never could bring himself to tell the love of his life that the only people who she had liked growing up actually hated her in secret.

"I told you that if you ever left here, you could never come back. Are your sisters really worth that?"

Marinette looked into his eyes, seeing the concern and fear pooling within them. Se shook her head. "No, but…" She thought for a moment. "Maybe they could come here?"

"What?!" Chat looked like he was about to die of shock.

Marinette looked at him. "I mean, in the day, when you aren't here. They could leave before the sun even went down!" She defended. "And it isn't as though they could find this place on their own! As long as Nino takes them here and back, they'll have no way of knowing where we actually are!"

She stared into her husband's eyes, silently pleading for him to grant her this request. Although the worry and fear never truly left his eyes, Chat eventually sighed.

"Alright, they can come." Marinette was about to wrap him in her joyous embrace, but he interrupted. "But only on several conditions."

Marinette nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. Whatever you want."

Chat looked her dead in the eyes. "They may come to visit, but they can only stay for a few hours. And while they are here, you must be careful not to mention too much about me. Tell them I am a wealthy merchant, nothing more. And lastly…" He gulped, the gravity of his mistake finally dawning on him. "You must promise me that you will be wary of what your sisters say to you."

He looked at his wife, dead serious. However, Marinette just looked confused. "Why?"

"Because when they see our home and everything I have given you, I fear… No. I _know_ they will be jealous. They will probably try to trick you and make you doubt me. Please, don't listen to them. You'll be ruining our future." He looked longingly into her bluebell eyes, worry swimming through his gut.

Although she was still confused, Marinette knew it was best not to question her husband. He seemed to have an uncanny way of knowing things. She nodded. "I promise I'll be careful." She then wrapped her arms around him, forcing him into her greatful embrace. "You'll have nothing to worry about. I love you too much to let any petty thing my sisters say get between us."

It took a while, but eventually Chat returned his wife's gesture. "I really hope that's true." He said, the terrible feeling inside of him only growing larger.

* * *

The next day, Chat fulfilled his promise, and Chloe and Lila fell out of the sky and onto the grassy hill, where Marinette was waiting for them.

However, while the wind had gingerly placed Marinette down, her sisters were not so fortunate. Nino's winds blew everywhere, and he heard many secrets. He definitely knew enough to know that these two girls were nothing but trouble. So he did what any sensible person would do, and dropped them while they still hung a fair distance from the ground.

While Chloe and Lila were moaning and yelling in discomfort, Marinette just smiled. However, when her sisters saw her, looking better than ever in the fine clothes her husband brought for her, there was nothing but contempt in their glassy eyes.

Marinette walked over to her sisters, not noticing their malice. "Sisters! It is great to see you! I've missed you."

Chloe looked over at Lila for a mere second, and nodded. Lila nodded back in understanding, and walked over to where their sister stood. "Oh Marinette! We thought you were dead! Where have you been all this time, dear sister?" She leaned forward and embraced her sister, her sickly-sweet words seeping into Marinette's ears.

The young girl smiled wider. "I am so sorry! I never meant to make you worry!" She pulled her sister closer, welcoming the warmth of someone else besides her husband. "But I wanted to let you know that I was alive all the while, but my husband wouldn't have it. He can be a bit…" She paused for a moment, being careful not to give too much away. " _Protective,_ sometimes."

"Your husband?" Chloe asked, trying her hardest to keep her spite out of her tone. "Is he here?"

Marinette pulled out of the embrace and shook her head. "No, he's away on business. He is a very wealthy merchant." She lied, remembering the excuse Chat told her.

Although Chloe seemed to have bought the shaky lie, Lila wasn't convinced. If there was one thing Lila knew, it was lying, and she could immediately sense her sister's hesitation. However, she didn't let her suspicion show, and instead put on her best disappointed look.

"But I was so looking forward to meeting my new brother-in-law." She gave Marinette a small, puppy-eyed glance, before she quickly brought her smile back. "But I suppose it can't be helped. You simply must give us _all_ the details! We haven't seen you in a year you know. We have a lot to catch up on!" Lila grabbed her younger sister's hand. "So then, you do have some sort of house don't you? No respectable husband would expect you to live out in this field. You will take us there, yes?"

Marinette nodded, believing she had fooled her sister. "Of course, right this way." She turned, gesturing for her sisters to follow, and walked over the hill.

* * *

If Marinette had been impressed by her palace at first glance, her sisters were awestruck. The gardens, the crystal fountains, the beautiful grounds… And that wasn't even mentioning the palace itself. It was larger, more beautiful, and better crafted than theirs had been growing up, and the whole place just had this air of… _magic_ to it that the two sisters couldn't help but notice.

Though at first they could think of nothing, for their small brains could not fathom what they were seeing, one emotion starting bubbling up inside. As Marinette took them on a tour of her new home, with its vast collections of jewels and clothes and finery, and its magical servants who doted on their mistress, the sisters could feel nothing but a little green monster eating its way through their icy hearts.

Eventually, Marinette left the two alone to wash up before dinner, when their visit would end.

"Can you believe Marinette gets to live in a place like this?" Chloe asked as soon as the girl was out of earshot.

Lyla huffed. "I can barely believe a place like this _exists."_ She crossed her arms, glaring at the building around her. "Why does she get everything? She doesn't deserve it!"

Chloe nodded. "I know, right?" The two sat in silence for while, giving their jealousy time to stew. Suddenly, however, Chloe perked up. "You know, we can't just leave Marinette here." She said, a smirk growing on her face.

Lyla looked at her sister, ad after one small glance at her expression, she immediately smirked back. "Of course not. The prophecy did say our sister would be married to a monster, right? And why would she be so reluctant to have us meet him if that wasn't true?"

"Exactly. Getting her out of here, and finding her a nice, _human_ husband… It's the only sisterly thing to do." The blonde girl's smile widened, her eyes glistening with a cruel excitement.

Lyla smiled, a plan already working itself out in her mind. "Exactly. It's our job…" She chuckled. "As her _sisters._ "

* * *

That evening, the servants reluctantly brought the two guests the finest dishes they could prepare. Their master had warned them to be wary of the two, but Marinette had requested that they be treated with the utmost respect. So despite their better judgement, they brought the girls whatever they desired, all the while shooting them dirty looks from hidden locations.

Marinette, however, didn't notice a thing. She was far too happy to have people other than Chat to talk to. Sure Nino would show up on occasion for a quick chat, and Marinette could occasionally even found herself conversing with the servants, but it wasn't' the same as seeing your family.

Chloe and Lyla gorged themselves on the food, inhaling every bite laid before them.

But once they had eaten their fill, the two sisters began their plan.

"So, Mari, what exactly is your husband like?" Chloe asked, feigning interest.

Marinette smiled, thinking of the kind man she called her husband. "At first I didn't know what to think, but…" Her cheeks began to redden. "He's actually really kind and generous. He always hears my opinions, and he's not once raised his voice or gotten angry. He may make dumb jokes, and he can be a little odd at times, but…" She sighed, staring at the beautiful ceiling in the room, thinking about Chat.

Both Lyla and Chloe struggled to keep from rolling their eyes. "Oh he sounds wonderful!" Lyla lied, careful not to grit her teeth. "I do so wish we could meet him."

Marinette smiled. "I wish you could meet him too, but he's never around during the day…" She looked longingly into her cup, thinking of her beloved husband.

Lyla immediately perked up. "I thought you said he was merely away on business." She said, having finally caught Marinette's lie.

"What kind of business keeps him away all day every day?"Chloe asked, clueless to how jobs actually work.

"Well if he will come home this evening, then I see no reason why we can't stay to meet him.' Lyla smirked. "I mean, he is our brother in law, isn't he? He's family." She took one look at Marinette's face, and she knew she had her sister cornered. Whatever Marinete was hiding, she'd have to spill it now.

"Well, the thing is..." Marinette started, trying to think of something to say. She knew she had promised Chat that she wouldn't tell her sisters anything, but they were her sisters. They were _family._ And a family was something that Chat had never really had. Maybe he just didn't understand…She could trust them, couldn't she?

Chloe looked her sister in the eye. "Please sister, tell us the truth." She said, trying her best to sound concerned. "We want to know everything about your life here."

Marinette looked her sisters in the eye, seeing what he believed was true concern. She then made her decision. "Well, you see, my husband isn't really a merchant…" She started, although she soon realized that she didn't really know where to start. "Actually though, he could be. I really don't know what he does during the day…"

* * *

That night, when Chat showed up, Marinette seemed distracted. He worried what was going through her head, and hoped desperately that her sisters had not said anything to permanently damage her opinion of him, or even of herself. He knew how cruel they could be.

However, when he asked about her day, she just smiled and said she had a wonderful time. No matter how much he pressed for details, asking her what they did or talked about, she would just dismiss him. Chat was very worried, but he trusted his wife, and hoped that she would trust him in return.

However, the entire night, the only thoughts that went through her head were of her sisters' words.

"He's a beast! A horrible monster!"

"You remember the prophecy!"

"He's just trying to fatten you up to eat you!"

"You have to put an end to it!"

She looked into her husband's eyes, and she found it nearly impossible to believe them. There was such kindness, such compassion such... genuine _love_ in them, he couldn't really be monster…

But those voices refused to leave Marinete alone. She couldn't deny that there was some logic to their words. Why couldn't she look at him? Why couldn't she leave?

She decided that tonight would be the night. She knew her husband wouldn't like it, but she had to know. She had to see beneath the mask.

* * *

When Chat had finally gone to sleep, Marinette got to work. She found an old oil lamp, and stole some oil from the kitchen. While she was there, she even grabbed a knife, in case her sisters had indeed spoken the truth. However, she hoped that she would never have to use it. She hoped hat under that mask, she'd find a caring person who was just embarrassed of his face, or something to that avail. She'd be satisfied no matter what her husband turned out to look like, as long as he wasn't a monster.

She slowly walked through the halls, careful not to make a sound. Darkness surrounded her, and though her heart screamed at her, telling her to stop, her curiosity kept her going. When she finally reached her room, she lit the lamp, and opened the door.

What she saw on the other side was much more shocking than a monster.

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update, but school has consumed my life these past few months. Now that it's summer I should be able to go back to regular updates, so thank you all so much for waiting!**


	6. Chapter 6

The wings of an angel. Skin like silk. Hair that sparkled like the sun, even with just the dim light of the lantern. Features that looked as though the gods carved them out of perfection itself. He was truly the most beautiful being Marinette had ever seen.

She walked up to him, unable to control herself. She wanted to see him up close. She had to ensure that the vision in front of her was no illusion.

The closer she got, the less control she seemed to have over herself. She was so caught up in the image in front of her, so entranced, that she didn't even notice when her arms began to quiver. The lamp in her hand shook and clattered, but Marinette paid it no mind. The only thing she wanted to think about was the man sleeping in front of her.

She'd heard of a beautiful god with the wings of an angel before. Stories were often told about him. Mortals naively loved him. The gods feared him. But what was his name again?

Marinette didn't care. At that moment, all she could really think about was how gorgeous her husband looked. It was as though she couldn't tear her attention away, as though his beauty had put her under a spell…

Marinette got closer to her husband, her face only inches away from his, when suddenly a drop of oil flew out of the sputtering lamp. It landed on the man's shoulder, and his eyes immediately shot open.

His eyes were even more beautiful when they weren't obscured by a mask. They were the purest green, deep and kind, and reminded Marinette of the first leaves of springtime. She was so busy staring into those forest green eyes that she didn't notice the angry fire that started to burn right through them.

"How could you!" he yelled at her, suddenly pulling her from her trance. "I've done everything for you, and yet you couldn't even live with two rules?"

Marinette pulled herself away, suddenly realizing what was happening. "A-adrien… the g-god of love…"

He quickly looked to the sky in fear before turning back to his wife. "You weren't supposed to know! I told you never to look at me! I can't control my disguise when I'm asleep!" Suddenly thunder began to rumble, and Marinette could hear the crack of lightning break through the night. "Now my father will know you're still alive! How could you do this to us?" Marinette looked at the god in front of her, too shocked to respond. "It was your sisters wasn't it? They put this doubt in your head. I told you not to trust them!" He then turned towards the window. "I told you you could stay here as long as you followed my rules. I told you that we could be together as long as you could just obey those two simple rules… but you've lost that right." Suddenly, the house around them began to fade away. The gardens turned to ash, the fountains to pebbles, and all the gold gilding to sticks as the walls of her palace disappeared before her eyes. The god unfurled his wings, pain and fury dancing in his forest green eyes. "Goodbye, Marinette. Now, I can never see you again, and it's all your fault."

He then shot into the sky with a giant flap of his wings, his hand gripped tightly around his burned shoulder.

Marinette stood in the remains of her palace, tears streaming down her cheeks. What had she done? How could she have made such a grave mistake? And why had her sisters done this to her?

She knew that, in the end, she couldn't blame them entirely. Yes, they had put doubts in her head, but Marinette knew that she was the one who had chosen to trust her sisters over her husband. She was the one who was unable to control her curiosity. She was the one who had disobeyed her husband's orders and looked upon his face.

The more she sat there, weeping, the more the reality sank in. Not only was she in love with a god, but supposedly that god loved her back. And she had destroyed that. Why couldn't she just have trusted him?

Marinette wept into her dress, which had now reverted to the simple white frock of a commoner. She had lost everything, all because she was curious and didn't trust the man who had given her all she asked. She was so blind.

Time seemed to stand still in that moment for her, as she sat there crying. Eventually her tears dried up and the sobs quieted, but still Marinette sat there. What could she do now? She could not return to her kingdom, for she never wanted to return to the life where everyone treated her like an object. She could not go to her sisters, because that they had played a role in ruining her life. And even if she wanted to find Adrien, to apologize, to beg him to take her back... she had no idea where to start searching.

Marinette sat amongst the rubble, pondering her options for hours. She tried to work up the energy to stand up, to make a decision, but the more she thought, the more hopeless everything seemed. There was nowhere to go. She had no one to rely upon. No friends, no family, and now, no husband.

She was so lost in her despairing thoughts that she didn't notice when a breeze blew by.

"How could you do this to him?" A voice said from behind Marinette, causing the girl to snap from her self-induced trance. "I thought you actually cared about him."

Marinette turned around, only to see Nino standing there, looking hurt and angry. He clenched his fists, and refused to look in her direction.

Marinette stood and looked directly at the god before her, a fire starting to light inside her. "How dare you! I did care. I cared more about him than anyone!" She yelled at him, infuriated by his insinuation.

"Then why wouldn't you listen to him!?" Nino yelled back, finally looking in Marinette's direction.

Marinette held her ground. "I made a mistake, okay! It's something humans do. My sisters… they told me that my husband was a monster, and I listened. I've known them all my life. They were the only ones to ever act kindly towards me! I thought I could trust them, and I was wrong."

Nino shook his head. "How naive can you get?" He yelled at her. "You couldn't see that your sisters are lying, manipulative, selfish brats who have always been jealous of you? You couldn't tell that they only used you and toyed with you? I knew it, Adrien knew it, heck I'll bet even your parents knew it. How could you be so blind!?"

"Well you try growing up without a friend!" Marinette stared at him, knowing that if she hadn't already cried herself dry, tears would be streaming down her cheeks. "You try growing up having everyone you meet rather look at you than talk to you! Let's see what your willing to overlook then if someone offers you a kind word." Marinette gritted her teeth. "Let's see how desperate you are for kindness. Even if it's false. Then let's see how much you trust the only people that ever gave that to you."

Nino glared at her. "Don't you dare try and make yourself the victim here! Because of you, my best friend is heartbroken, and for some reason he can't even heal the burn on his shoulder! And on top of all of that, his father is keeping him captive, and won't even let me see him! It could be centuries before that man gives Adrien another taste of freedom, and it's all your fault."

Marinette stared at him, dumbstruck. "Adrien's hurt?" She asked, concern flooding over her. Had the oil hurt him that badly?

Nino looked at her face, and a look of regretful realization crossed his face. "You really do love him, don't you?" He asked, although Marinette was willing to bet she knew the answer. "Well, I can't say that I'm happy with your choices, or that I completely forgive you but… people do make mistakes." He sighed. "And I know he will never be happy without you, so…" He looked at her. "If your willing, I can help you try and earn your husband back."

Marinette had been wandering for two weeks. She had never had to travel before, especially over long distances, and she was not used to the pain in her feet or the exhaustion that plagued her, but she forged on, determined to find the house of Gabriel, god of perfection, and Adrien's father. Nino had given her directions, but she could only hope she was following them correctly.

Eventually, as dusk fell one cool evening, Marinette stumbled on an old, abandoned building by the seaside. She found her way inside, grateful to have a place to stay for the night, when she realized where she was.

The walls were inscribed with wheat stalks and depictions of people working the land. There was a gold-gilded altar, upon which sat a bowl filled with dried, shriveled fruits, all coated in a layer of mold. Flies swarmed around the small structure, and Marinette questioned why the building had been so neglected. It was clearly the temple of Alya, goddess of the harvest, and she was always a popular goddess.

All her life, Marinette was taught to respect the gods. She would go to temples weekly, surrounded by a group of bodyguards of course, to leave offerings and pay her respects. How anyone could care so little for a temple like this escaped her.

Marinette looked around, and decided that this would be a great place to stay the night. However, if her upbringing and recent experience with gods taught her anything, it that the gods didn't just give without expecting something in return. If Marionette wanted to spend the night in the temple of a goddess, she needed to give something back. She didn't need to anger any more gods than she already had.

Marinette got to work, and despite her exhaustion, she spent the next few hours cleaning and fixing the old temple. Hours later, the building at least started to resemble a temple again, and satisfied with her work, Marinette said a quick prayer and fell asleep.

The next morning, she finished cleaning a few spots she hadn't been able to see in the dark, and she set back out on her journey.

However, after having walked not even a mile, she saw a strange woman just up the path. As she approached the woman smiled at her. "Was it you who cleaned you the temple of Alya?"

Marinette nodded. "I wanted a place to stay the night, and it would not have been fair to use someone else's home without offering something in return, so I decided to clean the temple in return for using it."

The woman's smile widened. "Well I appreciate that. Most people would not have been so kind as to repay me for allowing the use of one of my temples. And even less would go to the lengths you did."

Marinette was startled, but being used to meeting gods at this point, she managed to stay calm. "Thank you for the compliment."

She gave a slight bow but Alya shook her head. "That's not necessary, Marinette." The goddess smiled. "So, I hear you're looking for Adrien." the goddess gave a knowing smile.

Marinette nodded. "Yes, lady Alya." She replied politely.

Alya put her hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Look, there's no need to be so formal. I'm not going to smite you for not having flawless manners." The goddess laughed. "Especially not after what you just did. I owe you."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Really?"

Alya nodded. "Yes, really."

"Then can you help me get Adrien back? Or at least help me talk to him?"

Alya shook her head. "Sorry, but I can't do anything that would get Gabriel's attention. It won't turn out well for either of us." She smiled mischievously. "But I promise you, I'll find a way to help you when you need it most." Alya turned to leave, but gave one last smile to the girl before her. "The rest you can do on your own. Good luck getting Adrien back!" The goddess gave a small confident wave back before disappearing into thin air, leaving Marinette confused, but ultimately more confident now that she had a goddess on her side.

 **Hey guys! I feel I must apologize profusely for the exceptionally long hiatus. Nothing I say can excuse it. I've actually had this chapter written up for a while, but I wanted to write a few more chapters before uploading it. I hope you'll be happy to know I'm almost done writing this entire story, and just need to finish the final chapter and do a little proofreading, and I'll be completely finished. If you've kept up with this story after so long, all I can do is thank you. Life got in the way of this, and I apologize that I didn't try just a little harder to finish this more quickly for all of you, but thank you so much for staying with me. If it wasn't for all your kind comments, I wouldn't have ever continued this story, and I want you to know that these final few chapters were written for you guys. It won't ve long until the end, I promise, and whether you're an old or new reader, thabk you from the bottom of my heart for your support. Keep an eye out for the next few updates. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Marinette continued her trek, more confident now than ever. She could do this. No, she would do this. She owed it to herself, and to Adrien.

Adrien. Every time she thought about that name, her heart fluttered. She couldn't believe that the god of love had been her husband for almost a year. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to believe, and yet the more she knew it was true. She was in love with the god of love, and he had once loved her back. She wasn't sure if he still would after her betrayal, but she knew she had to try and get him back.

After three more days and two more nights of almost constant walking, Marinette finally reached the temple of Gabriel, just north of Athens. She entered, and walked up to the altar. There she placed a bundle of flowers wrapped in a torn piece of her dress, as it was the only thing currently in her possession. She prayed, asking Gabriel to return her to Adrien, so that she might ask forgiveness for her betrayal.

When Gabriel heard the desperate prayers of Marinette, he at first ignored them. He had to care for his wounded son, and he was still angered that Marinette had stolen so much of his patronage. He saw her as a selfish, wicked girl who stole favor from the gods, and who hurt his son out of spite. He had no intention of allowing her to truly marry Adrien.

However, for several days, Marinette continued to come to the temple. Each day she would find something to give as an offering. A small crust of bread she had begged for. A few small coins someone dropped on the side of the road. A beautiful narcissus she found growing by a nearby stream. And each day, she would respectfully ask for the opportunity to see her beloved Adrien once more.

Gabriel grew more and more enraged by Marinette's stubbornness with each passing day. Finally, one day, he came up with a plan to finally end it. He appeared before Marinette, and he told her that, unless she could prove herself worthy of being a god's wife, he would not allow her to see Adrien.

"You will come with me back to my palace, and there I will ask you to perform several tasks to gauge if you are truly worthy. If I find you an unacceptable bride, you will never be allowed to lay eyes on my son again."

"I accept your terms, my Lord. I am humbled by your generosity." She bowed before the god in front of her, and when she pulled her head up, she was in completely different surroundings.

She was in a beautiful palace, much like the one she once shared with Adrien. However, this palace was grander, and more polished. Everything was perfectly crafted, perfectly in place, and perfectly pristine. Looking down at her own filthy, torn dress and knowing how long she'd been without bathing, Marinette felt very out of place. Looking around, with everything so immaculate, she was constantly aware of her less-than-stellar appearance.

However, she did not let this faze her. It was, in a way, refreshing. Usually people told her that she was the most beautiful thing in the room. Here she stood out because she was the least.

Gabriel looked down at her. "Follow me." He said curtly. He walked down a nearby hallway, leading her through more perfectly decorated rooms. Eventually they came to a large door. Gabriel smiled smugly as he looked at the door.

"On the other side of this door, you will find the kitchen. I have laid your first task out for you in there." He looked down at Marinette. "According to the traditional criteria, a wife must be good at cleaning and organizing a kitchen. I expect you to prove you are capable of this if you expect a chance at winning my son's hand."

His cold blue eyes looked the girl up and down in disgust, although his face remained as stone. "You must finish this task before sundown, or I will not allow you to ever see my son again." He turned down the hall, a small smile on his face. There would be no way any human would be able to complete this task in a week, let alone in a few hours.

* * *

Marinette nearly burst into tears upon entering the room. She had been expecting a mess, but this was too much.

There was a pile of grains nearly the height of her knee standing in the middle of the room. On a nearby table, several labeled jars sat. Wheat, barley, poppyseed, chickpeas, lentils, beans… there were so many different categories.

Marinette had never cooked in her life. She had no idea how to distinguish one type of grain from another. And even if she did, the sheer amount of grain in front of her would have taken months to sort out perfectly, and she knew that if so much as a single grain was out of place, she would fail.

Marinette forced herself not to cry. She couldn't afford to fail. Somehow, someway… she'd complete this task.

She immediately went to work, trying to figure out how grains differed and which grain was which. After a solid hour of work, she was surrounded by 10 small piles of grains, and yet she had barely made a dent in the enormous pile in front of her. Her fingers were starting to ache, and she wasn't even sure if she was sorting correctly, but she was determined to do her best.

While concentrating hard on her work, a small insect peeked its head out of a small open crack in the window. Seeing what the girl was forced to do, it made its way over to her.

"You look like you could use some help." The strange ant said.

Marinette looked for the source of the voice, and when she finally saw the ant, her eyes widened. "Y-yes, I could… but w-why…"

"Shh…." The ant said. "I owe you. You helped me clean not that long ago, now it's time I returned the favor. But don't speak my name, or the master of this house will know I'm here. And never tell him that anyone helped you, or he'll have an excuse to dump you back out into the street. As long as he can't prove you got help, he must assumed you completed the task on his own, and must continue to give you tasks until he deems you worthy. Do you understand?"

Marinette nodded, finally understanding who was there to help her. "Yes, of course Al- I mean, little ant." She smiled at herself, making sure not to use the goddess's name.

The ant nodded, and almost seemed to smile. It nodded its head back toward the window, and suddenly a whole swarm of ants flooded the room. They immediately went to work, and in less than an hour, all the grains were sorted into piles right underneath a corresponding jar.

"There. All you have to do is put the grains into those jars, and your task will be complete." The ant seemed very pleased by its work, and Marinette was elated.

"Thank you so much, little ant!" She said, still in awe of the spectacle she had just witnessed. "I don't know how I can ever repay you!"

The little ant waved its antenna at her. "There's no need to repay me. This was my repayment to you. You earned my help." The rest of the ants began to leave the room, filing through the open window. "Good luck, Marinette. Know that you have most of the gods on your side." The little ant seemed to nod at her, and then quickly left along with the others.

Marinette looked at the little piles of grain and immediately began transferring them into jars. She smiled and hummed to herself as she worked, feeling one step closer to seeing Adrien.

* * *

"How could this happen?!" Gabriel yelled as he looked around the room. There wasn't so much as a speck of dust on the floor, and all the grains were perfectly sorted.

Marinette bowed her head. "I simply did what was asked of me."

The god paced back and forth across the room, as if trying to figure out what had happened. "Someone must have helped you! Who was it?" He asked her, fury boiling in his voice.

Marinette did not respond. She simply shook her head.

Gabriel's anger only rose. "Fine, if you will not tell me who helped you, then you'll just have to go to bed hungry tonight!" He threatened, but Marinette did not budge. At this point, she was used to hunger pains. Gabriel was not happy that his threats didn't seem to affect Marinette, and he soon stormed out of the room. "A few of my servants will be by shortly to escort you to your… _accommodations."_ He looked at her, his face contorting with disgust. "If they aren't to your liking, tomorrow you can tell me who helped you. Only then will I rethink your living arrangements." He then left the room, the door slamming shut behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Marinette spent a long, miserable night on a stone cot. It seemed that Gabriel had a makeshift prison below his palace, and Marinette was not surprised that she was expected to stay there. Until she could prove that she was a worthy wife for Adrien, she was Gabriel's prisoner. There was no other way to describe her situation.

The next morning, Gabriel's servants returned to take Marinette to face her second task. They said nothing, as they had the previous night, and lead her up through the halls of the palace until once again Marinette stood before her godly captor.

"Are you feeling more cooperative today?" He asked, but Marinette stayed silent. He stared her down for a while, his glare intensifying with each passing moment, but Marinette refused to say a word. "Well then, I'll just assume that you had a pleasant evening, and I will give you the same hospitality tonight, if you can prove you deserve to stay here." He raised his nose in disgust when looking at the girl in front of him. "And I honestly doubt you'll be able to accomplish today's task."

He walked over to a nearby window. "A good wife needs to be able to mend her husband's clothes, or make him new ones if he needs them." He turned back to her. "Just a little ways down the road, you'll find my personal pasture. There you'll have to gather materials and come back with a garment fit for a god. You must accomplish this task before the sun goes down, or you will not return. Is this understood?"

Marinette nodded and bowed. "Of course, my lord." She said, smiling. She knew she could make clothes. It was one of the few things she actually enjoyed.

"Well then, you'd better get to work."

* * *

When Marinette reached the pasture, she stopped dead in her tracks. The sheep weren't normal sheep. They were large, had golden wool, and large, shark-like teeth.

She now understood the difficulty of the day's task. She knew that, if she approached the sheep to get wool, she would be eaten alive.

She took a deep breath and looked around. There had to be some way to get the wool. She saw a nearby tree, and she thought at first that she could wait until the sheep fell asleep, and then she could use a stick to gather wool. But the branches she could reach weren't long enough to really keep her safe.

There was also a stream nearby with some reeds, and she thought that perhaps she could try and lure a sheep into the stream where some of its wool could get caught on rocks as the sheep floated past. But the current was not that fast, and if she had to make something with the wool, she should probably avoid getting it wet. Wool took too long to dry, and she didn't have much time.

She walked over to the stream and sat on a rock, trying to think of a way past this, when suddenly she heard a faint voice from beside her.

"Hey, Marinette."

She looked around, half expecting to see another ant nearby, but nothing moved. There was only the smooth flow of the stream and the reeds as they flowed in the breeze.

Marinette looked back over to the pasture, but then the voice spoke up again. "Marinette, look down here!"

Marinette looked down. "Hello? Is someone there?"

The reeds seemed to nod in reply. "Yes. I'm talking to you through the reeds so the master of the pastures doesn't know I'm here."

Marinette listened to the voice intently, trying to figure out who was speaking. "Excuse me, kind reeds, but do I know you?"

The reeds chuckled. "Yeah, you know me. And I'm here to help you. I'm not letting my best friend mope around his dad's house for a century, especially when the person who made him depressed is working so hard to make it up to him."

Marinette smiled. She knew who the voice in the reeds belonged to. "Oh, well thank you. I'm glad to hear you've forgiven me, although I'm not sure I deserve it. I've barely done anything."

If reeds could shake their head, these would have. "You've walked for days, persisted in demanding an audience with a god, and found a way to deal with the first task, even if you did get a little help."

"But you were the one to tell me to do all those things."

"True, but I didn't know you'd actually go through with them. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to him, even for the gods. The man is seriously intimidating." The reeds shook, as if trying to be reassuring. "But complimenting you is not the main reason I'm here. I'm here to help you through this task." The reeds bent over towards the pastures. "Look over there. You see those big dark bushes?" Marinette nodded. "Around midday, these sheep will go to the other side of the pasture. When that happens, you can go to those bushes and gather what you need."

Marinette nodded in understanding. "Thank you, reeds."

The reeds nodded slightly. "Just keep going. If anyone can prove that they're worthy of my friend, it's you." There was another sudden gust of wind, and the reeds became still.

* * *

A few hours passed. Marinette had pulled two small branches from the nearby tree, and a sharp rock from the shore of the stream, and had fashioned herself a pair of crude needles. Her father often received visitors from foreign lands, and one had once taught her a technique for manipulating wool into a fabric more quickly. She practiced the skill, and made it her own, and she was confident that she could do just as Gabriel had asked of her.

When the sheep finally went to the other side of the pasture, just as the reeds had said, Marinette went over to the bushes. They were composed of gnarled dark branches covered in thorns, and amongst the thorns, small bits of wool had caught in the branches. Marinette picked the wool out of the thorns, and after a while she had plenty for her plan. She went back over to the stream, sat on a rock, and got to work.

* * *

"But how!?" Adrien heard his father's angry roar, even from his room.

Adrien turned in his bed, his shoulder beginning to ache again. He winced. He was a god. Why wouldn't this injury heal?

He tightly gripped his shoulder, trying to ignore the pain coursing through him. He got out of bed, his curiosity overcoming all his other senses. His father never had visitors, and he never got _this_ angry. The only time Adrien had heard Gabriel's voice at this volume was when his father was angry at _him_.

He walked through the halls as quickly as he could without making his shoulder feel worse. Eventually, he reached the main staircase, where he saw the last thing he had ever expected to see.

He found a hiding place quickly, where neither of the people down in the main hall could see him, and looked down, just to ensure that he wasn't hallucinating.

Standing down there, in his father's house, staring his father down, there was Marinette.

"Who helped you?!" Gabriel yelled, but Marinette said nothing.

Gabriel stared down at golden chain in his hand. He looked at it as though it were the filthiest thing in the world, and yet no matter where he looked, he couldn't find a flaw.

"How did you do this? Answer me!" The god demanded.

"It was a technique that I learned long ago. It's pretty quick once you get good at it." Marinette explained simply.

Gabriel fumed and threw the chain on the floor. "Get out of my sight! Tomorrow I'll have your next task prepared." Gabriel stormed out of the room, fury boiling in his cold eyes.

Marinette just smiled, and suddenly Adrien forgot all the pain in his shoulder. She was still so beautiful. It didn't matter to him that she was covered in dirt, or that her dress was torn to shreds, or that her hair didn't shine with its usual vibrance. That small, proud smile. That defiant attitude. Those were the things Adrien found beautiful.

Had she come all this way only for him? Had she challenged his father, just so they could reunite? Adrien's heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't believe that a mortal had gotten through a trial made by his father. And, what was even harder to believe, she had challenged Gabriel, a god notorious for his cold nature and fiery temper. And she did it all for him.

Adrien's vision blurred as tears threatened to spill out over his eyelids. Yes, Marinette had made a mistake, but the lengths she was going to to fix it… Adrien couldn't help but forgive her. She loved him, just as much as he did her. She loved him enough to challenge a god. She loved him enough to risk her life.

Adrien wanted to charge down the stairs and kiss her, but he knew that his father would find out if he interfered, at least directly.

Gabriel's servants soon came to lead Marinette out of the room, but Adrien lingered. He crept down the stairs, making sure that no one else was there, and picked up what his father had hurled to the ground.

It was a woven belt. Adrien didn't recognize the style of the weave, but even he could appreciate the simple beauty of the object. Marinette had made this by hand, and she had (indirectly) made it for him. Adrien took the belt up to his room, swearing that he would treasure the object always. He stared at it for hours, and just wished there was something he could do to help.

Then it hit him. Adrien smiled. He couldn't interfere directly, but that didn't mean he couldn't interfere at all...

* * *

 **Author's Note: I know it's been a couple of weeks, and I'm sorry. I'm just starting college, and so the last few weeks have been hectic to say the least. But I'm back now, and I'll try to finish this up before the end of next month. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, when Marinette came into Gabrial's front room, she could tell that he was becoming more and more impatient with her. He had only given her one sneer that morning, and since then had avoided eye contact as he paced the room, hands clenched behind his back.

"Now, today you prove that you are able to get your husband only the best to eat and drink." Gabriel said. "For a wife must always be able to get her husband the best she can possibly get him. Even if you are the best cook in the world, you cannot do anything with poor quality ingredients."

Gabriel turned to a nearby table and picked up a goblet. "You will take this goblet to the spring that feeds the river styx, where you will fill it with water and return to me without spilling a drop."

"And where, if I may ask my Lord, can I find this spring?" Marinette asked.

Gabriel smiled. "That's for you to figure out, my dear." He gave her the goblet and turned back toward the door. "Return here by sundown with a full goblet, or you will never again see my son." He told her, and left the room.

Marinette looked at the beautiful crystal goblet in her hand. She gripped it tight, and went to walk out the doors. She'd find the spring somehow. She could ask for directions, or find a map, or something. She'd find her way.

Meanwhile, Adrien was working to do his part to help Marinette. His father believed he was still bedridden, but instead the young god flew up to Olympus. His shoulder still ached, but when he had a purpose, he found it easier to take the pain.

He flew up to the grand palace at the very top of Olympus, and threw open the doors. "Lord Fu, I request an audience." He called.

Fu turned to him. "Adrien. I have not seen you in a long time. How are you?"

"Well, to be honest, I could be better." Adrien told him. Fu was not one of the gods that feared Adrien, but he was still a bit intimidating to talk to. He was wise, powerful, and ancient, not to mention the ruler over all of Olympus.

Fu looked at Adrien's shoulder. "I can see that. Tell me, why is it you came?"

"I wish for your permission to take a wife."

The old king's eyes went wide. "You have finally decided to settle down? I must say, this is a bit of a surprise. Does your father know?"

Adrien nodded. "Yes, although he doesn't want to allow it. I know he won't listen to me, but I don't care. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything!" Adrien cried, his eyes once again starting to fill with tears.

"So you came to me hoping that I could change your father's mind?" Fu asked, and Adrien nodded in agreement. Fu looked out through the window, and down at the Earth below. "It seems that your father and the woman you want as your wife have struck a deal. She promised to prove herself worthy to him. I am sorry, but I cannot break any deal made by another god." Adrien's shoulders slumped.

"So, you can't do anything?"

Fu turned to face him. "I never said that. I have many ways to influence such matters." He smiled. "I cannot force your father to accept your bride, but I can help her earn his acceptance." He gave a small nod towards a corner of the room. Suddenly, a small green spirit came flying out.

"Wayzz, I want you to find the maiden Marinette, and lead her to the spring of the styx. If she proves she is worthy, I expect you to help her gather the water."

The little spirit nodded. "Of course, master." It said, and flew out the window.

Adrien smiled. "Thank you, Lord Fu." He bowed before his king, who gave another soft smile.

"You are welcome, my boy. Now go. Marinette might soon need your help as well."

Marinette wandered away from Gabriel's palace, keeping her eyes opened for any nearby travellers, houses, or shops, but she was not successful. Gabriel seemed to live in the middle of nowhere.

She walked down the road for a while, but soon she saw a small glowing green light. _Follow me…_ She heard, although it wasn't quite _hearing._ It was like the little voice was in her mind.

With no better options at this point, Marinette followed the little green light. It lead her off the road and through a forest, until they reached the side of a nearby mountain range. _I'll meet you at the top._ The voice said, and the little green ball if light floated up the side of a nearby cliff.

Marinette looked at the cliff in front of her, wondering how to properly scale it with a goblet in her hand. She looked to the forest, and saw some thin, rope-like plants nearby. Her own belt had snapped a while ago, during her trek to Gabriel's temple, but she supposed she could fashion one out of these vines.

She worked for about a half hour, carefully weaving the plants into a belt, making sure to weave a loop for the goblet to rest in. She then began scaling the cliff, climbing higher and higher, her hands getting scratched and bruised as she did so. But she persisted, and eventually she reached the top of the cliff and pulled herself up, sweat pouring down her face.

The little green light floated there, looking at her. She looked it straight back, unafraid. After facing Gabriel for the last few days, nothing could scare her.

The light eventually dimmed. "I see. You are worthy indeed." A little creature said.

Marinette looked at the creature. "Who are you? You look like the servants that I used to have, back when me and Chat…" She trailed off, remembering the time she spent with Chat. Tears started building up behind her eyelids, but she shoved them back down. She would see him again. She would see him and apologize.

The little creature smiled. "I am Wayzz. My master sent me."

"And who is your master?" Marinette asked.

Wayzz shook his head. "You should know by now that we cannot use names." Marinette nodded in understanding.

"Thank you for leading me here. Where is the spring?"

Wayzz looked down into the valley below. "Down there."

Marinette looked down, and saw a terrifying sight.

The valley was filled with monsters of all shapes and sizes. There were so many different colors and shapes, Marinette could barely keep anything straight.

"The spring water cannot fall into the hands of mortals. For them, the water is too pure. It's deadly. So the akuma guard this valley."

Marinette should have known that Gabriel was trying to kill her. "So how am I supposed to get the water?"

Wayzz smiled. "I will fly across and get you the water. But it will be your job to get it back to Gabriel's without spilling a drop."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wayzz." She bowed her head towards the creature.

He nodded back and grabbed the goblet out of her hands. He flew across the valley, carefully avoiding the akuma as he filled the goblet. He flew up out of the reach of the akuma, and carefully brought the goblet before Marinette.

"The rest will be up to you." The little creature said, and began to fly away.

"Give your master my thanks!" Marinette called after it.

"I will!"

Marinette watched as Wayzz flew out of sight, and then looked around. She had to scale a cliff without spilling water, and she couldn't let the water touch her skin. She needed something to cover it, but what….

She looked down at the rags of her dress, and then at the vines that cascaded down the side of the cliff. She smiled. She could make this work…

After ensuring that the cover she made was tightly secured, and the strap around her waist was strong enough to hold the goblet's weight, Marinette began her climb down. It was tiring, painstaking work, but she had to ensure that none of the water came out of the goblet.

She eventually made her way back to Gabriel's, and once more stood before the god. Upon seeing the goblet, his pale face turned flame red.

"Who helped you?!" He demanded once more, but Marinette remained silent.

Gabriel fumed and yelled at the girl, demanding how she had accomplished the task. He was so furious that he didn't notice Adrien's snickers from the nearby stairwell.

Adrien had never seen his father this angry. In a way, it was impressive. Marinette brought out more fury in Gabriel than anyone ever had. And yet she, a mortal, looked him in the eyes as he raged, no hint of fear on her face. The more he looked at her resilient expression, the wider he smiled. The dirt smudges on her face and the ragged state of her dress didn't matter to him; he had never seen her look more radiant.

Soon Gabriel stormed off, ordering Marinette back to her "room." Adrien didn't want to see her leave, but he had to stifle a laugh when Marinette gave the retreating figure of his father a mocking bow. That was the spirit he had fallen in love with, and that was the spirit he knew would eventually win out over his stubborn father. All she needed was a little extra help, and this time he wouldn't leave it up to anyone else...


	10. Chapter 10

Marinette barely got any sleep that night before she was whisked back into the throne room, this time with little warning. The servants hurried her through the halls in uncomfortable silence, seeming much more timid than they had all week. Something was definitely wrong.

When she got to the room, she saw Gabriel, and she too became a bit more intimidated. He sat there, confident as always, a cool, wicked grin stretching across his taught features. "Good morning, Marinette. I trust you slept well?" His mocking tone slithered down from his mouth as he looked down at the girl before him.

"Of course, my Lord." Marinette feigned politeness. The last thing she needed was to give Gabriel the satisfaction of her temper.

"Good. Well then, I suppose you are ready for your final test." His eyebrows twitched.

Marinette nodded. "I will complete any task you ask of me, my Lord."

Gabriel tilted his head down toward the girl, a cruel glee glinting in his eyes. "Oh, I doubt that." He gestured towards one of his servants, who rushed forward, and handed him something Marinette could not see.

"You are aware of how much you hurt my son?" Marinette nodded reluctantly. "Good. And you are also no doubt aware that it is the duty of a wife to ensure the health of her husband?" Marinette again nodded. "Well then, today's task will test you on your ability to help your husband get well, no matter the lengths you must go."

He stood, and walked towards Marinette, putting the object before her. It was a small chest, beautifully engraved with silver wings and golden bows. "This belongs to my son. Today, you must go down into the underworld and ask Rose, goddess of spring, for some extra vitality. It is the only thing that will fully heal my son of his wounds, and restore my full strength. Caring for him has been a rather grueling task." He glared at her. "You must ask Rose to put the vitality in this box, and then return with the goddess's generous gift. Achieve this by sundown, and you may have my son's hand." he gave her the box and turned away. "However if you fail…" He turned, his malicious smile returning. "Your life will belong to me." He then left the room, leaving his last few words hanging in Marinette's mind.

* * *

Marinette had been walking aimlessly for at least an hour, unsure of what to do next. She had no idea how to enter the underworld, and she wasn't sure she could expect the goddess Rose to help her. She had met many kind gods during her journey, but she had also met Gabriel. She knew better than to expect that all gods would be as helpful as Alya or Nino had.

But she wasn't about to let that stop her. No, she would do it. She would get what she needed, and she would get back by sundown. She would see Adrien again, and this time, she wouldn't let her sisters get in her mind. She could only hope that her husband was willing to forgive her.

She soldiered on, trying to think of the best path to take. Soon however, she spotted a tower. She didn't know why, but the tower seemed to call to her, begging her to climb to the top. She had learned, due to her recent mistakes, that her instincts weren't always trustworthy, and her trials had made her weary of traps. But the more she looked at the old tower, its sturdy build rising up above the forest's ceiling, the more the structure attracted her. She eventually decided that climbing to the top would at least give her a good view, where maybe she could find a hint that would lead her to the entrance to the underworld.

She began her climb, and quickly ascended the stairs, knowing she didn't have too much time to alot to this little detour. But as soon as she had gotten to the top, she was glad she had made the trip.

The view was astounding. She could see for miles and miles. She could see the forest and the mountains, and she could even see Gabriel's house from her perch. She could see the cliff face from her third task, and the pasture from her second. A small smile soon wove its way onto her lips. They all looked so small from the tower. She found confidence in this new view, for she knew that, after today, her current task would seem just as small.

"Marinette? Can you hear me?" a voice suddenly called, snapping Marinette from her trance.

"Hello? Is someone there?" she whipped around, looking for the source of the voice, but saw nothing.

"It's me, Marinette, Adri-" the voice cleared its throat. "I mean, it is I, the mighty tower on which you stand." the voice said, this time in a much lower tone, as if it wanted to make itself sound commanding.

Marinette stood up straighter. She knew that voice. It was the voice she still heard in her dreams, the one that had soothed her to sleep every night for a year.

She smiled widely and clamped her hands over her face, attempting to stop herself from sobbing. "Is it really you?" she managed through her clenched hands.

"Yes. Of course. Who else could it be?" the tower said in its false deep voice.

Marinette giggled a little. "Well then, great tower, if I can, I would like to apologize for anything I did to hurt you. I was stupid and put my trust in the wrong people. But I've been working hard to make up for it."

"Oh Mari I know- I mean I have seen your hard work, Marinette, and I therefore am here to offer you help in your current task." The voice said, quickly reverting back to the false deep bellows after it had realised its mishap.

Tears streaked down Marinette's face. "Oh thank you, kind and generous tower. I'm glad that you can find it in you to forgive me, and I am even gladder that you want me to succeed. You don't know how much this task means to me."

If buildings could smile, Marinette knew that the tower would be beaming from ear to ear. "I do believe that I, the great and mighty tower, have a pretty good understanding of how much we- I mean how much you want this. I am a very wise tower, you know."

Marinette laughed. "Of course, how could I question your eternal wisdom, oh great tower?"

The two stayed quiet for a moment, enjoying even this small reunion. They had missed each other's company more than either had really realised until that moment.

Suddenly, the tower cleared its equivalent to a throat. "Right. So should we get back to the task at hand?" It asked reluctantly.

Marinette sighed. She had nearly forgotten. "Right. Of course. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Okay, so first, you'll need two cakes and two coins. When you leave here, you'll find these things at the tower's base. Then, you'll go just east of here, where you'll find a cave in the side of the mountain. That's when things get difficult…"

* * *

Marinette did as she was told, and collected the goods from the base of the tower. She went east, and soon came upon the mountainside. She followed the wall of rock for a bit, and after a small time she found the opening described to her by the tower. However, there was something blocking her entry…

"Excuse me miss, but can you spare a minute?"

Marinette tensed. Outside the cave there lay a small, pitiful old man, crouching over a pile of wood. Nearby, there sat a broken cart, with more assorted sticks tumbling out, and a poor, sickly looking donkey at the helm.

"It'll only take a minute. These old bones just aren't what they used to be."

Marinette refused to make eye contact with the man. No matter how much her heart ached to help, no matter how pitiful the man looked, she couldn't do it.

She continued walking, her eyes trained forward on the cave.

"Where are you going? Please madam, I really need a little help here. Just an extra hand will help this old man plenty. Please!"

But the tower's voice still rang in her ears. "The tyrant who designed this task knows how kind you are. He'll use that against you. Stop for no one, and I mean no one. No matter how much they beg, don't stop."

So Marinette forged forward, doing her best to ignore the pleas of the defenseless old man.

"Cruel woman." The man said from behind her, and then all was silent.

The cave was dark and cool, with cool gray stone walls winding deep into the Earth. Marinette's steps echoed as she walked, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer as she left the sanctity of the surface behind.

She walked and walked, stumbling through the deep, dense darkness, until finally she saw a faint glow up ahead. She hurried forward, knowing that she was fast approaching the end of her goal, and not caring that she was also getting closer and closer to the land of the dead.

The light was dim, even as she got closer, and the air was thick and heavy, with a sense of foreboding hanging down from the cave's ceiling. Marinette ignored the knot that grew tighter and tighter in her stomach. She had gotten this far. It was too late to give up now.

As she approached the light's source, Marinette began to hear a faint gurgle. She moved toward it, and soon saw a river snaking through nearby tunnels. Waiting on the side of the river, with nothing but a single lamp to light his way, was the ferryman.

He was a tall man, cloaked all in black, with only strands of bluish hair sticking out from under his hood. Marinette inched closer, and saw that his hair grew darker as it grew closer to the scalp. It was strange and maybe even beautiful, in some way.

"A-are you Luka, the ferryman?" Marinette cautiously asked.

The man smiled. "That depends. Do you have the coin?"

Marinette nodded and reached for the small satchel that she had found at the tower's base. "Yes. Of course." she pulled out the small piece of gold, and handed it to the man. He looked it over, examining every detail, before he finally put it in his pocket.

"Well then, welcome aboard." He said, gesturing Marinette to get on his tiny ship. She climbed aboard tentatively, careful not to touch the water. She knew of the river Styx. It was not a pleasant place for a swim.

Luka pushed his long ferryman's pole against the obsidian riverside, and soon the small boat drifted through the cave.

The world plunged into utter darkness. Marinette couldn't even tell if her eyes were open. All she knew was the rushing of the river as water slapped the sides of the boat. She clung to her seat for dear life, hoping that this darkness would soon end. For some reason, it seemed to consume her, to wrap its thin, bony fingers around her heart, and it didn't want to let go.

Minutes passed, and soon enough the darkness fell away as well. But as soon as she saw what lay past the cave's exit, Marinette wished that the darkness would return.

To her left, she saw opulent palaces glittering with jewels in the dim light. Faint sounds of music and laughter drifted towards her, but she could not focus on them.

Straight ahead of her, Marinette saw large iron gates, the entrance of which was guarded by a large, multi-headed beast. But even that paled in comparison to what she saw on her right.

There were screams. Hundreds of horrible screams echoing throughout the giant chasm. Flames burst out of the ground, dancing among the shadows of people desperately reaching out through the barbed fences, trying to break free from their torment. Hideous monsters swarmed above them all, swooping and diving and teasing their hapless victims.

Tears came to Marinette's eye. She didn't know what those people had done in life, but she couldn't believe they had done anything to deserve this. She wouldn't wish that fate on anyone, no matter how awful they had been. Not Chloe, not Lila… not even Gabriel deserved that.

She forced her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't look. If she looked again, she'd be driven mad by sorrow.

Instead, she decided to focus on the river. The waters were an inky black, swirling and bubbling in unnatural ways. Small flecks of… something floated around, but Marinette knew not to try and find out what they were. She wasn't about to touch the deadly water.

"Help me!" A voice called out from just ahead. "Please! Someone! Help me!"

Marinette tilted her head towards the calls, and saw someone struggling to stay above the surface. It was a boy, probably around Marinette's age, and he was about to go under the murky water.

"Please! I can't keep this up for much longer!"

The boat was fast approaching the boy, coming almost within Marinette's reach. She longed to reach out, longed to pull the boy aboard, but she knew she couldn't. She dug her hands into the boards of the boat, and clenched her eyes shut, trying fervently to ignore the boy's desperate pleas.

"Why!? Why won't you help! Please miss! I'm drowning! I can't keep this up much longer!'

Marinette felt tears welling up in her eyes. She dug her nails deeper into the wood, and clamped her jaw shut. She could do this. No matter how much her heart ached, she could ignore the boy. He wasn't really in danger. He wasn't really drowning. It was all a cruel trick by Gabriel, no matter how real it seemed.

Soon the splashing stopped, and the cries could no longer be heard. Marinette opened up a single eye and looked back at where the boy had been. There were only small ripples left on the water's surface. How could Gabriel be so cruel? How could anyone torment her like this? Did he think this was funny? Rage burned in Marinette's chest. How dare he! Did he think that playing with mortals like this was okay?

The boat finally reached the shore. With a newfound passion, Marinette climbed out, and reached back down to her satchel. "Sir, would you please wait for me? I promise it won't take long, and I have another coin to give you when I come back."

Luka nodded. "I wouldn't leave someone like you in a place like this. I'll be here."

Marinette nodded back, and turned to face the iron gates. She walked forward, keeping an eye out for the legendary guard of the underworld and its keeper.

"I'd be careful if I were you." She heard someone say from her right. She turned towards them, and saw a young-looking man with dark purple hair and a black leather coat. "He's lookin' pretty hungry right about now. I wouldn't try testin' him, if I were you." The man spoke with a strange accent that Marinette couldn't place, and he seemed so foreign in this setting.

"Who?" Marinette asked, believing she already knew the answer.

"My boy Fang. He's always lookin' for a good bite to eat. Intruders are his favorite."

Large footsteps started shaking the ground. A deep, grunting roar rose up over the nearby hill, right near the gates. Marinette spun her head around, and saw the legendary beast.

She'd heard tales of Fang, guardian of the gates of the underworld, but those stories couldn't do the beast justice. It was a huge, hulking brute, with purple reptilian skin that shone in the fire's glow. It had a long, bulky body, with thin, scaly wings jutting out from its spiny back. And to top it all off, the beast had three long-snouted, large jawed, beady-eyed heads.

Marinette took a deep breath. The tower had told her how to handle this. She had to believe she could do this. She had to trust that the tower's word was true.

"I'll be fine." She said to the man, who she assumed was the monster's keeper. "I can do this." She walked forward, head held high, and trying to stop the shaking of her hands.

"Hahaha, this girl's got spine!" The man said from behind her. "Good luck! Hope you know what you're doin'!"

Marinette took in another long deep breath, and approached the beast. It stared down at her, yellow eyes gleaming with a ravenous hunger. She reached down into her satchel, and pulled out the first cake. It was hard and dark and smelled horrid, but the Tower had assured her it was just what she needed.

"Hello, Fang." Marinette said, doing her utmost to keep her voice steady. "I have something for you."

One of the monster's heads sniffed the air, and then the beast's tail started shaking.

"I'll give this to you if you let me pass. Do we have a deal?"

Fang excitedly dropped his heads down towards the strange cake in Marinette's hand.

"I'll take that as a yes. Here you go." She tossed the cake a couple feet away, and Fang hurried after it, his heads snapping in competition over the smelly delicacy.

Marinette passed the monster, and made her way through the gate. "I'll bring you another one on the way back!" She shouted, unsure if the monster could even understand her.

She forged her way up the hill, and soon enough, she could see the palace of the underworld. She was getting close now. To either side of her, Marinette could see long, sprawling fields of gray wheat. However, unlike the fields of grain she had seen back on Earth, there wasn't so much as a stir. Everything was still. Absolutely still. No sounds. No color. No movement.

Marinette began to walk faster. This place was starting to creep her out. She couldn't handle the stillness. It was too unnatural.

As she made her way through the fields of gray, she eventually came upon some women. They sat in a circle, with a loom in the center. They were as gray as their surroundings, but their tapestries were a different story.

There were colors Marinette had never seen before. The patterns seemed to dance and move, and Marinette could not take her eyes off of them. Before she even realized what she was doing, she was slowing down, almost to a halt, before the women's loom.

Marinette had loved weaving. Second in her life only to sewing, weaving made her feel incredible. She could tell stories, create beauty, and escape her dull life, all through the patterns of threads. Several of her tapestries had even been hung in the palace she had grown up in, although she had not in recent years kept up with the hobby, in favor of her sewing. But now she wished she had. Maybe, if she had continued her practice, she could weave like these women. Maybe she could create objects of such rare, exquisite beauty.

"Hello dear. Would you care to weave with us?" The first woman said.

"We are so old and frail, it hurts our hands. But you look young enough to weave forever." Said the second.

"Oh yes, please help us. Your hands already bear the mark of a great artist, but I'm sure these old hags could teach you a thing or two." The third continued.

They all three giggled, and reached out a hand to Marinette. "Join us." They said in unison. "Join us at the loom. You know you want to. And you'll never have to stop."

Marinette reached back to them, entranced. She never wanted to do anything else but weave. She could only think of threads and looms. She walked towards the woman, taking several slow, mechanical steps, before the Tower's voice echoed in her head. "Trust no one. Help no one. Let no one lead you off the path."

Marinette took a step back. What was she doing? She had a job to do. She couldn't waste her time weaving.

"What's wrong, my child?" The first woman said.

"Why won't you help us?" Said the second.

"Come now, there's no need to feel frightened." Finished the third.

Marinette shook her head. "I can't." She said, shutting her eyes to avoid the temptation. "I can't!" She then turned and ran, refusing to look back.


	11. Chapter 11

Marinette ran as fast as she could up the hill, making sure her eyes were trained on the path ahead of her. She couldn't afford any more distractions.

As she grew closer and closer to the top of the hill, a dark palace came into view. And out of all the godly places she had been, this seemed the most godlike.

The palace was dark and unbelievably massive. Towering pillars shot out of the ground, reaching up to hold the triangular roof, which was wreathed in elaborate golden moldings. Two large wings jutted out from either side of the temple-like structure, making the building's reach incomprehensibly expansive. Iron gates surrounded the structure, and seemed to snake for miles and miles, with no seeable end. The stone was like nothing Marinette had ever seen; it was like the palace was carved out of darkness itself. The only way Marinette could distinguish the palace from the surrounding cliffs was the faint orange glow that cloaked the construction. The entire thing gave off a commanding and powerful aura, and seemed to be designed to keep everyone else at bay.

A lump formed in Marinette's chest. Never had turning back appealed more to her. But she couldn't do it. She needed to move forward.

Marinette forced her feet to move. It took every ounce of her willpower, but she was able to keep walking through the overpowering aura, eventually finding her way to the gates.

Surprised to find them open, Marinette poked her head through the large, iron structures. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She knew better than to trespass on a god's territory.

"Come on in." A sweet voice drifted from out of the gloom. "Head right. Find the garden."

Marinette looked around, but saw no one. She decided that it was better to listen than risk ignoring the gods, and so she took a careful step into the gates. "I'm coming in now. I'll head towards you." She said, still a little scared.

"Good. See you soon.~" the voice answered.

The path was long and dimly lit. Marinette followed along the fence, trying not to get lost. The estate was so vast, so expansive, that she guessed that it was larger than her entire town had been. However, soon lights were seen ahead, and the sound of a gurgling fountain floated towards her ears.

The gardens were strangely stunning. The colors lacked the vibrancy of flowers on the surface, but in some odd way, it seemed to tie everything together. Faded reds and purples flowed into faded greens, with pale yellows and oranges both standing out and blending in simultaneously. Small, floating lights sparkled around the gray-green hedges, and large trees made the haunting beauty of the enclosure feel weirdly intimate.

Two people sat at a table in the middle of it all. One was cheerfully out of place, with sunny blonde hair and a rosy pink dress. The other looked like she was born to be there, with long dark hair that became subtly more purple as it descended towards her waist.

The happy-looking girl waved when she saw Marinette, a large smile stretching across her pink cheeks. "Hello there! Please, come sit!" The other girl then turned her head, settling her coppery eyes on Marinette.

Marinette gulped. She immediately knew who these two were. The smaller, cherrier girl was Rose, goddess of springtime. She had a wide, kind smile, and her eyes glinted with a rare sort of innocence, so she was not the main focus of Marinette's fear. No, it was Juleka, goddess of the underworld, who made Marinette's blood curdle.

Swallowing her fear, Marinette stepped closer and closer to the goddesses, eventually taking a seat at the table beside them.

"We never get visitors! We're so glad to see you! Aren't we Juleka?"

The darker girl gave a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah. We are."

"So what brings a pretty little living person like you all the way down here?" The two goddesses looked at Marinette expectantly.

"Gabriel sent me." Marinette worked hard not to stutter. "He wanted me to ask Rose for some extra vitality. You see, his son is hurt and…"

Juleka put up a hand. "Adrien isn't as hurt as Gabriel wants you to believe. At least, not anymore."

Relief flooded over Marinette. "Really? He's better?"

Juleka nodded, but gave no further explanation.

"Well I would be happy to give you some anyway, so you'll have something to give Gabriel." Rose said, reaching for the box, but Juleka stopped her hand.

"No. What _exactly,_ did Gabriel promise you?" Juleka asked.

"Um well…" Marinette thought back to her conversation that morning. "He told me to ask Rose for the vitality, and return with the goddess's gift." Marinette said, hoping she got the wording correct.

Juleka smirked. "You're sure that's what he said?" Marinette thought for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Then give that to me." She took the box from Marinette and lifted the lid.

"Juleka? What are you doing?" Rose asked, concern filling her gentle voice.

Juleka breathed into the box, then quickly shut the lid. "Gabriel deserves this for all he's done. I won't let him take advantage of this girl anymore, and I certainly won't let him take advantage of you."

Rose blushed slightly. "You're sure this will still work?"

"Of course. I wouldn't do it otherwise." Juleka smiled and handed the box back to Marinette. "Take this back to Gabriel. I'm still a goddess, so _my_ gift should suffice. Just don't open it, no matter what happens."

Marinette took the box in hand, noting that it was no heavier than before. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she knew better than to question Juleka.

"Thank you, goddesses, for your generosity." Marinette bowed, and Rose giggled.

"Thank you for visiting! Please come again! It can get a little lonely down here sometimes with just the two of us." She gave a happy little wave to her guest, and turned back to Juleka. "Not that I get tired of spending time with you."

Marinette turned her back on the goddesses. She was grateful, if a little confused, but she didn't have any more time to waste. She needed to get back up to the surface, so that she could give the box to Gabriel.

Adrien was so close, she could almost feel his warmth around her.

* * *

She made her way out of the underworld much the same as she had came. There were no weaving women, swimmers, or old men to ask her for help this time, but she still had to face Fang and the mysterious ferryman. However, this time it was much easier, for she had what she needed, and she knew she could succeed. She would soon see Adrien again, and this time, she wouldn't mess things up.

She soon enough made her way out of the dark cave, and immediately set back towards Gabriel's house. She was almost there. She had almost done it. She couldn't let herself get distracted now, not when-

"Marinette!" A sickly sweet voice called out from behind her.

Marinette froze. She knew that voice.

"Thank the gods we finally found you!" A second voice called, this one just as familiar.

Marinette turned, only to see that her terrible suspicions were confirmed. Chloe and Lila ran toward her, arms open wide, and crocodile tears streaming down their faces.

"We are so sorry Marinette!" Lila said, her false words dripping like poison from her mouth. Marinette stiffened. How had she never before been able to see her sister's insincerity?

"We had no idea who your husband was! Honestly if we had known, we would never have given you that wretched advice!" Marinette had to hold down the bile growing in the back of her throat. Chloe suddenly seemed so overly dramatic and fake. What Marinette had once seen as her sister's odd, passionate demeanor was now a clear facade. Had her sisters always been like this?

"Of course! If we had known Adrien was your husband, we would have given you all of our support. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive us?" Lila asked, trying to sound innocent.

Marinette looked at her two sisters. How were they here? And more importantly how had they found out about Adri-

Gabriel. This was his final obstacle. The last thing he was throwing in Marinette's way. It was the only explanation.

"Oh of course I can forgive you!" Marinette said, putting on her best smile. Lila may have been the queen of lies, but Marinette had so much more practice with hiding her emotions behind her smile. "You two are my sisters. How could I not forgive you?"

Lila and Chloe smiled to each other, buying the lie. "Oh thank you Marinette! We don't deserve a sister as kind as you!" They shouted, forcing more false tears out of there eyes.

Marinette looked down at the ground and faked a sniffle. "I don't know what I should do! I don't think Adrien would ever take me back now. Especially after what he said…"

Her sister's ears perked up. "What did he say?" Chloe asked.

"H-he said…" Marinette forced a tear out of her eye. "'You really were shallow! I thought you were kind hearted, but now I see that even your sisters must be better than you! If I were to see one of them on that rock spire now, maybe I would consider taking one of them for my wife!"

Chloe and Lila looked at each other knowingly, then back at Marinette. "Really? He actually said that?" Chloe asked, intrigued.

Marinette nodded. "Word for word. But you two would never go up there, right? You are my loving sisters, after all."

"Of course we wouldn't! We couldn't take advantage of our sister's misfortune like that, could we Chloe?" The blonde girl shook her head. "Exactly. So why don't you go back to Gabriel, Marinette, and tell him that you've given up on Adrien, and plead that he let you return home. Meet us there, and we'll find you a nice, human husband. We'll get a head start, so that me may tell mother and father of your miraculous return?"

Chloe nodded. "Oh yes. They will want several days to prepare a great feast for you, so take your time coming back, alright Marinette?" Chloe giggled, and Lila glared at her.

"You'd really do that for me?" Marinette asked, having to stifle her own giggles. Her sisters were so gullible when it came to Adrien.

"Of course we would! You're family! And once the feast is over, we'll work to find you the perfect _human_ husband to marry, won't we Chloe?"

Chloe nodded, but kept her mouth shut.

Marinette wiped away her fake tear. "Really? What did I do to deserve such caring and devoted sisters!?" She flung her arms around the both of them, still careful not to let go of the box in her hands.

The two girls shared a glance, believing that they were about to get everything that they deserved, all while Marinette was smiling to herself, proud of the trick she was playing on them.

She eventually pulled away, and gave one final look at the two girls she had known all her life. "Well, I should head back to Gabriel. Thank you two for everything." She then turned away from them, vowing in that moment to never see the two _ever_ again.

* * *

Marinette walked towards Gabriel's manor, feeling excited and strangely lighter. There was nothing holding her back now. In just a few moments, she would be free to be with Adrien. She couldn't feel happier.

Soon Gabriel's manor came into view, and Marinette's pace quickened. She was almost there. Just a few steps away from the life and the freedom she had always wanted.

She passed the main gates, and soon, something strange struck her.

"Do you really think that Adrien will still want you?" A voice echoed in her ear. She turned, but saw no one. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She got no response, so she continued forward, a little slower this time. The voice had startled her more than she cared to admit, but it wasn't about to stop her.

"I mean honestly, look at yourself."

Marinette quickly spun around, looking for the source of the voice.

"So filthy. So mangy. How could anyone want a dog like you for a wife?"

"You should just turn back now."

"You aren't even a goddess."

"Adrien's so perfect. What makes you think he actually likes you?"

"He deserves a goddess. Not a shallow little nothing like you."

The voices swarmed through Marinette's head, echoing every doubtful thought she'd ever had about herself. She tried to keep walking, but with each step she took, the voices grew louder, until she couldn't handle them anymore. She broke down, right on Gabriel's doorstep, unable to handle the throbbing in her skull.

"Please! Make it stop! Stop talking!" She yelled, clenching her ears between her hands, but the voices continued, and only got louder.

"Maybe he'd like you if you were pretty again."

"You just need a little more spring in your step. Just a little more life."

"Maybe some vitality?"

"Oh, you have some!"

"In the box!"

"Open the box Marinette!"

Marinette tried to think, but the voices were too loud. They drowned out any other thought. Why shouldn't she open the box? She knew it was a bad idea, but she couldn't imagine why. What was the harm of a little vitality anyway?

Marinette reached for the box, every instinct telling her to stop, but she knew it was the only way to silence her doubts. She had to make the voices stop. This was the only way…

Marinette grabbed the lid and cracked it open, just a bit. She only needed a little...

The lid came open, and the world went black.


	12. Chapter 12

"Marinette!" Adrien yelled. He knew something was wrong. He didn't know how, but he knew. He jumped out his bedroom window, spreading his wings, and he saw her, lying there on his doorstep, hand clasped around his favorite box.

"No Marinette, what did you do!" he flew down to her lifeless body as quickly as he could. He picked her up, and felt for a pulse. It was weak, but she was still alive.

Adrien looked back at the box, and a shiver ran down his spine. It had a dark aura to it- faint, but definitely still there. He put his hand over it, and immediately started to feel drowsy. A sleeping spell. Of course.

Had his father opened the box, he would have slept for years, or even decades, but he could have woken up unharmed. But Marinette was a mortal. If she stayed like this, she'd die after only a matter of days. Maybe even sooner, considering this spell's potency.

Adrien grabbed hold of Marinette, carrying her bridal style, and bolted for Olympus. He didn't have time to waste. He had to get Fu to cure her. He knew his father wouldn't remove the spell, and he didn't have the power to on his own. No, only Fu could handle this.

* * *

Fu was calmly sitting in the throne room, chatting with Wayzz, when Adrien burst through the doors.

"Please! Heal her!" He said, bringing Marinette's body closer to the king god.

Fu stood and walked closer, looking at the girl. "Put her down. Gently. We don't want to harm her further."

Adrien gingerly lowered his princess down to the floor, laying her head down especially gently.

Fu examined Marinette's features. "What happened?"

Adrien explained Gabriel's final task, and how he had found Marinette lying lifeless on his father's doorstep.

Fu nodded. "First, before I can do anything, I need to summon Gabriel."

"Why can't you just heal her!?" Adrien yelled desperately. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. "You can't just let her die."

"Believe me, my child, I will do all I can for her. But this is the best way." Fu put his hands together, and purple smoke started to ooze out. The smoke moved to the corner of the room where it began to take form. Soon, Gabriel stood before the both of them.

"What is it that you want, Fu?" Gabriel said, annoyed, before he looked down to see his son's crying form over Marinette's inert form. A small smile worked its way onto his lips, but he quickly suppressed it.

"You did this to her!" Adrien yelled, standing up to face his father. "I don't know how, but you did this! You never approved! Why did I ever expect you to play fair?!"

Gabriel shook his head. "Now Adrien, you have no proof that I did anything to her. Marinette was a foolish mortal who couldn't resist opening the box of vitality I sent her to get. How can you possibly blame me?"

"Vitality?" Adrien took a step back, horrified. "That wasn't vitality in the box! That's what you sent Marinette to the underworld for?" Adrien's anger boiled. "If that had actually been vitality, she'd be dead! You know mortal bodies can't handle extra life force! A box full would have killed her!"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "I never told her to open the box. And if she didn't bring back vitality, she failed the test anyway. So either way, Marinette has proven herself unworthy to be your wife."

Adrien clenched his fists. "Don't you dare insult her. She's a hundred times the person you are, or ever will be! At least she cares about my feelings! She isn't perfect, but she's still kind and smart and funny, and she actually makes me happy! How dare you try to take every shred of my joy away from me."

Gabriel squinted his eyes at his son. "Come now Adrien, you don't actually expect me to believe that this mortal is the only thing that will ever make you happy. There will be plenty of others-"

"But there's only one Marinette! And I won't let her die. She did everything you asked! How can you say she's not worthy? There's no one more 'worthy' in the world!"

"She did not do everything asked of her, or did you forget that she failed to bring me the vitality that I asked from her?"

Fu cleared his throat. "Before we determine if Marinette is indeed a worthy wife by Gabriel's own terms, let us first examine the matter in full, shall we?" Fu waved Gabriel over. "We must clarify what is unclear before we can come to the best conclusion. Gabriel, can you give me your hand?"

Gabriel compiled, and Fu grabbed both Gabriel and Marinette's hands. He whispered a few hushed words under his breath, and another ball of smoke appeared, hovering over Marinette.

Figures began to form in the smoke, taking form and color until they resembled Gabriel and Marinette standing in the hall of the manor. The smokey Gabriel figure walked towards Marinette's smokey lightness, and placed a small square cloud before her. "This belongs to my son. Today, you must go down into the underworld and ask Rose, goddess of spring, for some extra vitality. It is the only thing that will fully heal my son of his wounds, and restore my full strength. Caring for him has been a rather grueling task. You must ask Rose to put the vitality in this box, and then return with the goddess's generous gift. Achieve this by sundown, and you may have my son's hand." The figure gave the little cloud box to Marinette's figure and turned away. "However if you fail…" The figure turned back to the girl, malice clear even in the crude smoke form. "Your life will belong to me." The smoke figures then dissipated, leaving the others in the room alone.

"See, I told her to return with vitality, which she clearly didn't do. So therefore, she failed." Gabriel said nonchalantly.

Adrien's face fell. "But you can't blame her! Rose was the one-"

Fu put up his hand. "The answer is clear." He turned towards Gabriel. "You told her to _ask_ Rose for vitality. You never specified that she must return with it. You then told her to return with the goddess's gift, and she returned with one of Juleka's sleeping spells, which was a goddess's gift." Fu smiled. "So Marinette did exactly what you asked her to do."

Adrien's face lit up, but Gabriel flew into a rage. "She did not complete her task! She never even brought me the box! She opened the thing before she even got inside!"

"You never told her to bring the box inside, Gabriel, just back. She was on your doorstep, which is a part of your manor. So she did bring the box back."

Gabriel fumed, but had no further arguments. However, Fu was still not done. "And why did Marinette open the box at that exact moment, Gabriel? It seemed out of character for her, and the timing especially seemed odd." Fu walked over to Marinette, and kneeled by her body. "Let's see exactly what happened, shall we?"

Gabriel tensed as Fu started chanting, and soon more smoke figures began to form. Soon a smokey version of Marinette walked through Gabriel's palace gates. At first things seemed normal, but soon Marinette spun around, seemingly for no reason. "Hello? Is anyone there?" A faint echoey voice called out to the silence. A moment later the figure continued to walk, more cautious than before. But mere seconds later, she spun again, looking frantically for something. She walked towards Gabriel's door, getting slower and slower, before she finally broke down on the front steps, dropping the box in her hand, and desperately trying to block her ears. "Please! Make it stop! Stop talking!" She called out, writhing in pain. Soon she reached out towards the box and opened it, and went limp.

The smoke figures cleared, and Adrien once again flew into a rage. "What did you do to her!?"

Fu shook his head. "He's the god of perfection. He has the power to amplify people's insecurities. Every small flaw, every tiny doubt, he can make seem all important. Clearly, he has been abusing this power."

Fu's face grew angry as he walked toward Gabriel. "That ability is supposed to help make people more aware of flaws, so that they might overcome them. How often have you used it for your own selfish goals?"

Gabriel was taken aback. "I would never-"

"Clearly, you would." Fu said. "Gabriel, Marinette has passed your test, _despite_ your best efforts. I cannot force you to give her your blessing, but I can say that I deem her a worthy wife for Adrien, and will allow their marriage." Adrien's face lit up. "And you will pay for what you've done. I may just go back to Juleka and get another sleeping curse for you! Until I determine the proper punishment for this, I forbid you from leaving your manor. You must stay there, and sleep in the same cell you let Marinette sleep in. Is that clear?"

Gabriel nodded. "Of course, master Fu." Anger blazed behind Gabriel's cool eyes as he uttered the words, but he could do nothing. Fu was much more powerful, and Gabriel didn't have enough allies that would support him, if Gabriel chose to challenge him.

The chastened disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving only Fu, Adrien, and Marinette back in the throne room. There was a tension in the air, but Fu turned and smiled at Adrien. "So then, I suppose we should get to waking up Marinette."

* * *

There was a dull ache in Marinette's head as her eyelids fluttered open. She wasn't sure where she was. There was white marble everywhere, and some things even looked like they were made out of clouds. She sat up, yawning, and looked around.

"You're awake!" She heard someone say from beside her. She tried to look at them, but they threw their arms around her before she could see their face. "Thank you Fu! Thank you!"

Marinette shook her head. She knew that voice. "A-adrien?" She called out. "W-what happened? The last thing I remember-"

Adrien pulled away, looking her in the eye. "It doesn't matter right now. I'll tell you later. But you did it Marinette!"

Adrien was crying now, but smiling wider than he ever had before. Relief washed over Marinette, and soon she was crying to. She threw her arms around Adrien, and held on tight, never wanting to let go. She could hardly believe what was happening.

"Does that mean-" She started to ask.

"Yes Marinette! Yes! We can get married, for real this time!"

Marinette smiled brighter than she ever had before. She sank into Adrien's embrace, feeling pure happiness for the first time in her life.

* * *

"You're absolutely sure you want to do this? There's no turning back now." Alya said, looking at her new best friend.

Marinette smiled, messing with her newly-made wedding gown in the mirror. "Definitely. I've never been so sure in my life." She took a deep breath. "But you're sure the gown looks okay?"

Alya laughed. "Yes Marinette, I'm sure. Even you said it was the best thing you'd ever designed."

Marinette took one more look back at the gown. It was floor length, with drapey straps and a long white train. There was red trim, because red was her favorite color, and a black band around the center, as a reminder of the days she had spent with Chat Noir, before she had known his true name. It was simple, but beautiful, and she had put a lot of effort into it's design. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and she wanted to look her best for Adrien.

A smile grew on her face. Just thinking about Adrien made her heart dance. She couldn't believe she was about to marry her soulmate, and more importantly, a god. That meant that, after today, she'd be a goddess. It made her nervous, but also excited, as she could think of no better way to spend eternity than by Adrien's side. With Alya and Nino also now becoming a part of her life, Marinette believed she had found the real family she had always wanted. She had found friends that truly cared about her, and a husband that would always stay by her side.

Marinette nodded. "Let's do this."

Alya put out her arm. "Well then, let's go."

* * *

Adrien's mouth dropped open when he saw her. He had known she was beautiful. Her beauty was even the reason he had met her in the first place. But before that moment, he never realised just how beautiful she was. He couldn't stop staring at her as she walked down the aisle, side-by-side with Alya.

Nino chukled from beside him. "Hey, you're drooling." He said, snapping Adrien back to reality.

Soon Marinette reached the altar, and Fu began the proceedings.

"After a long and grueling journey, these two will finally unite as one. Marinette and Adrien have both fought to be here tonight, and so I believe we owe it to them to begin as soon as possible." He turned to Adrien. "Adrien, I believe you have prepared some vows."

Adrien nodded to Fu, then turned his attention back to his bride. "Marinette, as a god, I have lived for so many years. And in that time, I never really knew what it was like to be happy. Nino was always a good friend to me, but thanks to my father, he could only do so much. It was only when I saw you, someone else so miserable despite her "perfections," did I finally find it within myself to seek out happiness. Thanks to you, I finally stood up to my father, and I'm now ready to live a joyful life, which can only be made perfect with you by my side."

The crowd swooned as Marinette's cheeks flushed the same shade of red enough as the lining on her gown.

"And Marinette, you also have a few words to say to your new husband, yes?"

Marinette took a deep breath. "Adrien, I may not have lived as long as you have, but I still feel that I know you. I always wished for someone to see me for who I truly am, and only when you showed up that night dressed in a black cat costume did I finally get that. I never expected someone like you to come into my life, and now I'm happy to say that I'll never take you for granted again. Thank you for taking the time to know me and love me for who I am, and I promise I'll always love you for you. I can't believe we're about to spend an eternity together, but I also can't wait for it to start."

This time, it was Adrien's turn to blush.

Fu smiled and nodded in approval before continuing. "Now do you, Adrien, wish to take Marinette as your wife for all eternity?"

Adrien nodded. "Definitely."

Fu nodded and turned to Marinette. "And Marinette, do you wish to become not only Adrien's wife, but also a goddess, for all eternity? Can you accept the responsibilities of immortality and the power that you will soon possess?"

Marinette took a deep breath. "Yes. Of course."

Fu picked up a goblet off of the altar. "Then you must drink of this." He handed the cup to Marinette.

Marinette took the cup, and took a single glance at the shimmering metallic liquid inside. She then put the cup to her lips, and drank, allowing the sweet, warm drink to flow through her. Suddenly, she felt strength and energy in her veins, and a rather odd sensation on her back. She turned, and saw beautiful read wings covered in black swirls and spots. Marinette's mouth dropped open, and when she turned back to Adrien, she saw that he was even more surprised than she was.

"Now I guess we both can fly away, chaton." She said, and he smiled.

"I now pronounce you Marinette, goddess of the soul and inner strength, for you have proven true beauty lies in the passion and determination hidden inside ourselves." Marinette's eyes went wide, and a blush spread across her cheeks. She was honored, for she couldn't have imagined a better title.

"And, more importantly, by the power vested in me as king of the gods, I now pronounce you god and goddess."

Adrien didn't hesitate to close the distance between him and his new wife, immediately pulling her into a kiss.

"I love you, my lady." He said when they pulled away.

Marinette giggled. "I love you too, Adrien."

* * *

There was never a happier couple on Olympus than that of Adrien and Marinette. The two were inseparable. They were the best of friends, and some even say the closest of all the gods.

No one ever saw or heard from Chloe or Lila. Some say they got lost in search of Adrien's palace. Others say they jumped off the mountainside, expecting Nino to catch them and whisk them away, but only Juleka will ever know the answer.

Alya, Nino, Adrien, and Marinette all went on to become fair, kindhearted gods, who were beloved by the people.

And Adrien and Marinette eventually had a daughter, who was so filled with her parent's love that she became known as the goddess of joy.

 _~Fin~_


End file.
